Banya Bashi Mosque

Banya Bashi Mosque
Баня Баши джамия
Religion
Affiliation	Islam
Branch/tradition	Sunni
Status	Active
Location
Location	Sofia, Bulgaria
Location within Sofia
Geographic coordinates	42°41′58″N 23°19′21″E
Architecture
Architect(s)	Mimar Sinan
Type	mosque
Style	Ottoman architecture
Completed	1566
Specifications
Dome dia. (inner)	15 m[1]
Minaret(s)	1
Materials	brick

Banya Bashi Mosque (Bulgarian: Баня баши джамия, 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.

Gallery

• 
  Banya Bashi Mosque from the west
• 
  Banya Bashi Mosque north side
• 
  Banya Bashi Mosque south side

See also

• Turks in Bulgaria
• Ottoman architecture
• Islam in Bulgaria

References

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

External links

• Historical photographs of the Banya Bashi Mosque