Banya Bashi Mosque Explained

Banya Bashi Mosque
Native Name:Баня Баши джамия
Native Name Lang:bg
Map Type:Bulgaria Sofia
Map Relief:1
Religious Affiliation:Islam
Location:Sofia, Bulgaria
Tradition:Sunni
Functional Status:Active
Architect:Mimar Sinan
Architecture Type:mosque
Architecture Style:Ottoman architecture
Year Completed:1566
Dome Dia Inner:15 m[1]
Minaret Quantity:1
Materials:brick

Banya Bashi Mosque (Bulgarian: Баня баши джамия, Bulgarian: Banya bashi dzhamiya; Turkish: Banya Başı Camii) is a mosque in Sofia, Bulgaria.

History

The mosque was designed by the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan and completed in 1566, during the years the Ottomans had control of the city. The mosque derives its name from the phrase Banya Bashi, which means many baths. In the Turkish language Banyo means bath and Baş (pronounced Bash) means 'head' or 'main', so looking at the location it is built on, a more logical translation of the name would be 'Head of the bath mosque'. The most outstanding feature of the mosque is that it was actually built over natural thermal spas; one can even see the steam rising from vents in the ground near the mosque walls. The mosque is famous for its large dome, diameter 15m, and the minaret.

Currently, the Banya Bashi Mosque is the only functioning mosque in Sofia, a remnant of the Ottoman rule of Bulgaria that lasted nearly five centuries, and is used by the city's Muslim community.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Bulgaria: The Bradt Travel Guide, Annie Kay, page 89, 2008