Tbilisi, Georgia
Mosque in Tbilisi
The Juma Mosque of Tbilisi is the only surviving mosque in the historic Old Town of the Georgian capital, located at the foot of Narikala Fortress on Botanical Street, on the road climbing from the famous sulphur baths to the Botanical Garden. It is remarkable for something rare in the Muslim world: it is shared by Sunni and Shia Muslims, who have prayed together under one roof since the city's old Shia mosque was demolished in the Soviet period. The present red-brick mosque was built in the late 19th century on the site of an earlier Ottoman mosque, with a single slender minaret and a prayer hall decorated in bright colours and Arabic calligraphy in the Qajar and Caucasian manner; Wikivoyage describes it as a Turkish Sunni mosque where the usual dress code and entry restrictions for non-Muslims apply. For Muslim visitors to Tbilisi it is the natural place to pray in the heart of the Old Town, and a witness both to the city's long Islamic history, when Muslim emirs ruled it for centuries before it returned to Georgian rule, and to the coexistence that characterises the Abanotubani quarter with its baths, churches, synagogue and mosque.
The mosque is open for the five daily prayers and Friday prayer, and visitors of all faiths are received outside prayer times with the caretaker's permission; dress modestly, women should cover their hair and shoes come off inside. Friday prayer is crowded, so arrive early. It combines easily with the sulphur baths, Narikala Fortress and the Leghvtakhevi waterfall in a single walk, and halal Azerbaijani and Turkish restaurants are found in the quarter. Walk about 15 minutes from Avlabari metro station or from Freedom Square.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: en.wikipedia.org
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