- Address: Shirok Sokak, Bitola 7000, Macedonia
- Contact phone: +389 47 221 915
- Year of foundation: 1558
- Mosque architecture: Islamic and Ottoman architecture
As a tourist in Macedonia , you will start to run your eyes from the number of attractions and beauties of this country, in particular from the diversity of religious folk heritage. Each church, a temple, a monastery and a mosque in this country have their own peculiarity, whether almost a thousand years from the day of construction, the size of the object, an incredible design design or even mystical stories! Yeni Mosque was no exception and is not only a spiritual place for Muslims, but it is also used today as an art gallery.
History of the mosque
The Yeni Mosque was built in 1558 by the order of Qadi Mahmud-efendi (Muslim judge). In 1161, the Yeni Mosque in Bitola was visited by the famous traveler Evliya Chelebi, who for 40 years traveled throughout the Ottoman Empire and did not miss the opportunity to look into this region. In his book, he expressed admiration for the mosque and described it as a very pleasant and bright place. In 1890-1891 a small reconstruction was made here and a new porch with six domes was built on the north side of the building.
In 1950, around the mosque was the territory for the old cemetery (at one time around it were buried high ranks), a beautiful park with a fountain and since then the mosque was declared a cultural monument.
Architecture and interior
Style and architecture The Yeni Mosque is very similar to the Itzhak Mosque and both represent a transitional stage between the early Ottoman style of Edirne and the classical Ottoman one. The mosque had a prayer room, a dome nineteen meters high and a minaret 39-40 meters high. The walls of the building were constructed of yellow stone, and the dome of the mosque was made in the form of an octagon with a square base.
The prayer room is decorated with stalactites in the corners, the walls with flowers, and the hall is illuminated by four rows of windows. Mihrab mosque is also decorated with geometric ornament. An interesting element is the wooden balcony of the preacher, the entrance to which comes from the tunnel through the wall of the minaret. Inside the building is decorated with images of scenes from the Koran according to eschatology, but, unfortunately, in the beginning of the 20th century an unknown Italian artist repainted everything in city landscapes. Nevertheless, the sense of monumentality and high artistic value of this mosque visits every visitor.
How to get to the Yeni Mosque?
The mosque is located practically in the center of the city, therefore it will not be difficult to get there. Near the newly-created art gallery there are bus stops "Bezisten", "Borka Levata" and "Jabop" - you can reach the destination from any part of the city.
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