Fatih Mosque (Durrës)

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The mosque after renovations (2015)

The Fatih Mosque ( Albanian  Xhamia Fatih , locally also called Xhamia e vjetër and Xhamia e vogël , in German. Old or Small Mosque as a contrast to the Great Mosque built in the 1930s ) is an important historical building in the central Albanian port city of Durrës . It is the third oldest mosque in the country and was declared a cultural monument in 1973. The Fatih Mosque is located in the historic city center of Durrës, adjacent to the fortress walls from the Venetian era .

Construction

The mosque consists of the main building and the minaret attached to the northwest . This is plastered in white and quite narrow in relation to the stone base, and the scissors (balcony) of the minaret is also simply designed. The original, historical minaret was slightly wider and better adapted to the large base. The roof of the minaret is sky blue in color and is shaped like a pencil tip. The rectangular prayer room is located in the main building. Interior fittings, windows and doors are made of wood material. In addition, calligraphy is attached inside .

Previous construction

The Fatih Mosque was built on the ruins of an early Christian basilica that was part of the ancient flourishing city of Dyrrachium . Only a few remains of the wall are left of it, including the northern arcade and the western wall.

history

The Fatih Mosque was built between 1502 and 1503 and is named after the conqueror of Constantinople, Sultan Mehmed II, "the Conqueror" (Arabic Fātiḥ ). It is the first structure in Durrës to be built after it was conquered by the Ottomans in 1502. After a ruined mosque in Berat (year of construction: 1380) and the Mirahor mosque in Korça (1494–1496), the Fatih Mosque is the third oldest Islamic place of worship in Albania, but the royal mosque in Berat and the royal mosque in Elbasan are probably older.

During the communist era and the related imposition of the ban on religion ( atheism ) in 1967 by the ex-dictator Enver Hoxha , the mosque was closed to the public for 23 years. When the minaret was destroyed, only the base remained. When Albania began its democratic turnaround in 1990 and all of the country's churches were reopened, the Fatih Mosque also opened its doors.

Restoration 2011

In March 2011, the renovation work on the mosque was completed. With the help of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports and the Muslim Community of Albania , a total of 5 million Lek (equivalent to around 35,000 euros ) was invested . The roof, the outer facade, doors and windows made of wood and metal fences were restored.

Web links

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  1. ↑ a b c d e Durrës: Restaurohet Xhamia Fatih, një nga më të vjetrat në Shqipëri. In: breziiri.com. March 18, 2011, archived from the original on October 16, 2011 ; Retrieved September 9, 2011 (Albanian).
  2. ^ Objects Fetare Monument Kulture. In: Komiteti Shtetëror për Kultet. Retrieved January 25, 2015 (Albanian).
  3. ↑ Arkitektura Ottoman Shqiptare: Historical photo. In: Facebook. November 28, 2014, accessed October 27, 2017 .
  4. ↑ Apollon Bace: Monumentet e Durrësit, Xhamia Fatih. (PDF; 2.5 MB) Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sport, archived from the original on October 15, 2013 ; Retrieved September 9, 2011 (Albanian, page 11).

Coordinates: 41 ° 18 ′ 40 "  N , 19 ° 26 ′ 45.5"  E