Banya Bashi Sofia Mosque. Banya Bashi Mosque (Sofia, Bulgaria)

One of the oldest and operating mosques in Europe - Bath Bashi is located in the center. The Banya Bashi Mosque was built by Koca Mimar Sinan, a famous Turkish architect, in 1576. The famous architect was also the author of the design of the Selim II Mosque in Edirne, Turkey.

The ancient landmark attracts attention with its architecture - stones were used during construction, and the red brick minaret is visible from afar and is a good landmark. The name of the mosque, “Banya Bashi,” translates as “many baths” because it was built over a natural thermal spring. Indeed, at the rear of the religious building there is a hot drinking fountain and a recently excavated bathhouse site. Visitors can also watch steam rise up through vents at the base near the walls of the mosque. Locals often come here to collect water, to which they attribute healing properties.

After several renovations, the mosque acquired an underfloor heating system and can now accommodate about 700 Muslims for Friday prayers and up to 1,200 people for Eid al-Adha.

The Banya Bashi Mosque was built at the expense of Mullah Efendi Kada Seifullah, so in some sources its name is associated with his name.

Useful information

Where is

The address of the Banya Bashi Mosque (original name - Banya Başı Camii) is as follows: Maria Louiza Boulevard at Triyaditsa Ulica Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria.

How to get to the Banya Bashi Mosque

You can get to the Banya Bashi Mosque by metro, Serdika station.

Opening hours of the Banya Bashi mosque

The mosque is open to visitors during non-prayer hours.

Useful information

The Banya Bashi Mosque is a magnificent structure built on the initiative of benefactor Efendi Kada Seifullah in Sofia, Bulgaria. This is one of the oldest mosques in Europe, its construction was completed in 1567. The name of the structure is associated with the expression “Bashi Bath,” which literally translates as “many baths.” The peculiarity of the mosque is that it is built above a natural thermal resort. You will be able to see how the steam passes through the vents installed at the base of the walls of the structure. The Banya Bashi Mosque is also famous for its large dome and minaret. Currently it is the only one functioning in the city.

The Banya Bashi Mosque is a unique architectural creation that reflects the specifics of Ottoman architecture of the 16th century. The structure was erected from brick and stone by the great architect Sinan. There are small towers at the corners of the mosque. The walls and arches of the prayer hall are made of cut stone and the pillars are made of solid stone and have a beautiful matte color. The arch located above the entrance door is also made of stone, and the central dome is covered with thin tin plates. Every year this building attracts many tourists and pilgrims from all over the world.

Banya Bashi Mosque

The Banya Bashi Mosque is located in Sofia. It was created by the famous engineer and architect Mimara Sinan. At the time of its construction, the Turks ruled the city, and it was they who controlled the city. The construction of the mosque was completed in 1576.

Interestingly, it got its name from the phrase “banya bashi,” which literally means “many baths.”

This cultural monument is unique in that it was built over thermal springs, the creator of which was nature itself. You can see a small amount of steam right inside the mosque. It rises from specially created holes in the ground and passes near the walls of the mosque.

The building is also famous for its dome, which has a fifteen-meter diameter, as well as its minaret, which looks straight into the sky.

Now Banya Bashi Dzhamiya is the only working mosque in all of Sofia. It is the mosque that is considered a monument left by the Ottoman Empire.

The only mosque in ; one of the oldest mosques in Europe. The exact date of its construction is unknown, but historians suggest that it happened in the 16th century. The construction was financed by Mullah Efendi Kady Seifullah. For this reason, the mosque is sometimes named after him. In honor of the mullah's late wife, there is a small building with three domes in the front part.

The Bashi bathhouse looks like a quadrangular building topped with a huge dome. The walls were built of red brick and some other stone, alternating each other. Over the course of its history, the temple has undergone a number of reconstructions and today is an excellent example of Ottoman architecture of the Middle Ages with modern inclusions. A minaret proudly rises above the building, from which the muezzin’s call to prayer can be heard.

It is interesting that the name of the mosque does not at all correspond to its intended purpose. After all, “bath bashi” from Turkish means “many baths.” People say that it was built on the site where natural baths were previously located. This is where the name came from. The main architect was the famous Sinan, whose works include all the most magnificent buildings in Istanbul.

Due to the fact that Bath Bashi is, first of all, an architectural monument, entry for tourists is also open. On special holidays, the number of visitors to the mosque exceeds one thousand. Pilgrims and lovers of medieval architecture from all over the world flock here. Geographically, the main Islamic shrine of Sofia is located 300 meters from the central metro station Serdika.

Photo attraction: Banya Bashi Mosque

Banya Bashi Mosque (Bulgaria) - description, history, location. Exact address and website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.

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The Sofia Banya-Bashi Mosque is definitely one of the oldest in Europe, although it is difficult to name the exact exact date of its construction today. However, in the arch above the mosque there is a stone with an unreadable inscription and numbers. It is believed that this is the date of construction indicated in accordance with the Hijra (Muslim calendar). If so, then the mosque was built around 1567. In any case, the mosque remains an impressive monument of Ottoman architecture and a recognizable landmark of Sofia.

The name of the mosque can be literally translated as “many baths.” The reason for this lies in the fact that the mosque was essentially built on top of natural baths, natural hot springs. Some claim that even today you can see streams of steam rising from the walls of the mosque.

The Banya Bashi Mosque was built thanks to Mullah Efendi Kada Seifulla, so it is sometimes called the Efendi Mosque or the Kada Seifulla Mosque.

The Sofia Banya-Bashi Mosque is definitely one of the oldest in Europe, although it is difficult to give an absolutely exact date of its construction today.

The mosque was built by the architect Sinan in the traditions of Ottoman architecture. It is a rectangular building with a large semicircular dome and four smaller domes surrounding it. Another small building with three smaller domes was built nearby: this extension was erected in memory of the wife of Kada Seifulla. The walls of the mosque are made of brick and stone, row after row, and at the corners there are small turrets that function as supporting elements. The interior walls are also made of stone, as are the monolithic columns and the arch above the entrance. The minaret of the mosque is especially impressive, the beauty of which amazed travelers back in the 17th century.

On the square in front of the mosque there is a pond with decorative fountains. Interestingly, the water in the fountains is hot.

The interior of the mosque has today been carefully restored and maintained in good condition. Inside there is a large hall for men and a women's gallery. The inside walls are painted with verses of the Koran and detailed ornaments. Also worthy of attention are the tiles in the traditional blue and white tones. Since the mosque is architectural monument, not only Muslim believers can view it.

Banya-Bashi today is the only functioning mosque in the city.

Practical information

The Banya Bashi Mosque is hard to miss: it stands in the very center, on Maria Luisa Street. Across the road is the Central Department Store, and in the neighboring blocks there is the Sofia Synagogue and catholic church St. Joseph. It’s easier to get here on foot from the Serdika metro station along the boulevard (about 200 m).

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