- Address: Mala Tepa 16, Mostar 80807, Bosnia and Herzegovina;
- Official page: islamskazajednica.ba.
Located in Mostar Mosque Koski Mehmed Pasha attracts not only Muslims who pray here, but also a lot of tourists - its charming architecture and a wonderful location. Rising above the river, the mosque harmoniously fits into the most beautiful landscape of Mostar, in which the houses of the eastern type and the bright green of the trees prevail.
History of construction
The mosque was built in 1617-1619 on the orders of the viceroy Koski Mehmed Pasha, and therefore received the name. It should be noted that at that time unique methods of construction were used, truly revolutionary technologies - the roof of the main hall does not rely on additional columns and is a single structure.
As a result, an incredibly attractive building was obtained, which is the best example of Islamic architecture in the country at the moment. The premises of the mosque are an equilateral square with a side length of 12.5 meters. The height from the floor to the highest central point of the dome is 15 meters.
A hundred years after the construction of the main part of the mosque, a madrasah was attached to it, thanks to which they could create a real cultural Islamic center.
However, it should be noted that the Mosque of Koski Mehmed Pasha is far from the oldest in Mostar - it is only the third oldest among all the dome-domed religious mosques.
For the construction of limestone was used white, beautifully shimmering under the sun. By the way, it was also used for the construction of the Old Bridge , which made it possible to create a special architectural ensemble in Mostar. Today, this stone is also mined in the vicinity of the city.
Architectural features of the mosque
To enter the courtyard of the mosque a small gate is provided, which is closed in the dark. After all, there is a whole complex inside, consisting of:
- a souvenir market working in a madrasah;
- cafe, from which a wonderful view of the Old Bridge opens;
- Turkish cultural center;
- pergolas;
- fountain;
- viewing platform.
Mosque Koski Mehmed Pasha is always filled with Muslims and tourists, although for travelers, the entrance to the building closes at the time of prayers. You can admire the wonderful views from the minaret site, the height of which is 28 meters. To climb it, you will have to walk 78 high steps, encircling the minaret.
There is also a neat, small gallery, covered with three domes. A cover is also provided over one of the parts of the patio.
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Interior decoration
Attention deserves the internal design, made in a characteristic for buildings of this type of style.
So on the walls painted a real garden, "formed" by trees of various varieties and species, including garnet, and orange, and grapevine, and others.
Preserved by the Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Joseph the First, a carpet that visited Mostar in 1910 and paid tribute to the Muslim religion in this way.
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Suffered from hostilities
The Mosque of Koski Mehmed Pasha has suffered more than once from the hostilities that took place here, including during the Bosnian war in the mid-nineties of the last century.
Despite the damage, the religious structure now has its original appearance. After all, every time large-scale reconstruction works were carried out, since today the mosque is no longer just a place of prayers for Muslims of Mostar, but also a part of the UNESCO World Heritage - the list was included in this list in 2005.
How to get to the mosque?
The main thing is to fly to Bosnia and Herzegovina . And with this, problems may arise, since there are no direct flights from Moscow, except for the charters in the resort seasons. To fly it is necessary with transfers - more often through Istanbul, but routes are possible and through other large European cities. Arriving in Sarajevo , you should take a bus or rent a car - the distance to Mostar from the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina is about 130 kilometers.
Finding Mosque Mehmed Pasha Mosque in Mostar is not a problem, because this is one of the main attractions of the city, located next to the other - the Old Bridge .