Ali Pasha Mosque (Ohrid)
| Ali Pasha Mosque | |
|---|---|
 Front view (2014) |
|
| Data | |
| place | Ohrid |
| builder | Suleyman Pasha |
| Architectural style | classic ottoman |
| Construction year | 1573 |
| height | 8 m |
| Floor space | about 400 m² |
| Coordinates | 41 ° 6 '55.9 " N , 20 ° 48' 1.9" E |
The Ali Pasha Mosque ( Macedonian Али-Пашина Џамија Ali-Pašina Džamija ; Albanian Xhamia e Ali Pashës ; Turkish Ali Paşa Cami ) is the largest mosque in the Macedonian city of Ohrid and at the same time the seat of a Muftiate . Because of its administrative character, it is also called the Ali Pasha Central Mosque . It offers space for around 300 believers.
location
The Ali Pasha Mosque is located on the eastern side of Sveti Kliment Ohridski Street , which forms the southern part of Čaršija or Korzo (the promenade ). The main facade is facing northwest, which makes it look a bit slanted. A little further north is the Činar , the old market square and the symbolic center of Ohrid. Except in the east, where green spaces separate it from multi-storey houses, the building is surrounded by lower buildings that house shops and stores. The entrance to the mosque can only be reached via a gate directly on the promenade.
history
The Ali Pasha Mosque was built in 1573 by a Suleyman Pasha. In 1823 it was expanded by Maraşʼlı Ali Pasha , who was vizier of Belgrade from 1815 to 1821 . It has been named after him ever since. A madrasa was also built at this time, but it no longer exists today.
The mosque used to have a minaret and the pedestal of another minaret. Contrary to the historical descriptions of Evliya Çelebi , it is considered certain that the mosque always had only one tower, because this is how it is depicted on historical photos and drawings. It was destroyed between 1912 ( First Balkan War ) and 1918. The minaret has only been reconstructed since 2017, and the open portico , the facade, the inner courtyard and the associated porches are also to be rebuilt according to their origins.
Exterior
The Ali Pasha Mosque is a square central building with a white octagonal drum and a sixteen-sided flat dome on top . An arched window is built into each of the 16 walls of the dome.
A closed two-story portico made of orange-red bricks with 23 pointed wooden windows and the entrance door opens to the northwest. This annex is covered by three smaller domes, of which the middle one is slightly raised on a foundation.
At the northern corner of the building there is a domed wooden fountain, the Şadırvan , which the Muslim community uses for ritual washing ( Wuḍūʾ ).
Interior
Inside, the white plastered walls including the dome are particularly striking, contrasting with the dark walnut elements . When entering the prayer room, which is lined with carpets, the mihrāb , made of plain white plaster, is built into the east wall in the center . Above it hangs a wooden plaque on the wall with the inscription of the Shahada . Immediately to the right of the mihrab is the wooden minbar with stairs halfway up the middle of the room.
The gallery has a closed wooden railing. A chandelier hangs on a chain at the top of the dome.
In the portico there is a small library with archive and the office of the Mufti of Ohrid. The gallery in the prayer room can be reached from here via a staircase.
meaning
The Ali Pasha Mosque is a center of Islam in Ohrid. As the largest mosque and seat of the regional muftiate, it forms the emotional symbol of the city's Muslims. Until 1953, this role was played by the larger Hajji Kasim Mosque , which was then demolished.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Eyüp Salih: Tarihte Ohri ve önemli şahsiyetler. In: Balkan Türkleri Kültür ve Dayanışma Derneği. June 7, 2012, Retrieved August 27, 2017 (Turkish).
- ↑ Mesazhi.com: Ohër, nisin punimet për rikonstruktimin e xhamisë pesëshekullore të Ali Pashës. May 23, 2017. Retrieved August 27, 2017 (Albanian).