Gazi Husrev-beg's Mosque

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Gazi Husrev-beg's Mosque, as seen from the south.

The Gazi Husrev-Beg Mosque, often referred to as the Beg's Mosque, is a mosque in the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is considered the most important Islamic structures in the country and one of the world's finest examples of Ottoman Architecture. It is located in the Baščaršija neighborhood in the Stari Grad municipality.

The mosque was built in 1531 by Gazi Husrev-beg, the provincial governor of Bosnia and a man widely considered Sarajevo's greatest patron, financing much of Sarajevo's old city at this time.

The Beg's Mosque was built by the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, who would later go on to build the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne for the Sultan Selim I. Out of all the Ottoman balkan provinces, Bosnia's population was the quickest to convert to Islam. Due to this, during the height of the Ottoman Empire, many of the most famous examples of Ottoman architecture in the Balkans were built in Bosnia, including Mosques, bridges, libraries, bathhouses, etc. etc. The Gazi Husrev-Beg mosque is a vital part of this period of prosperity and cultural growth.

During the Siege of Sarajevo, Serbian forces purposely targeted many centers of the city's culture, such as museums, libraries, and mosques. As the largest and most well known, the Beg's mosque was an obvious target. Heavily damaged in the war, it was renovated in 1996 with foreign help. Some have accused the renovators (whose money came in large part from Saudi Arabia) of Wahhabizing the mosque. Prior to reconstruction, the interior was far more intricate, as seen on the right, but today its appearance is noticeably different. The walls for example are simply white, much of the detail, artistry, and color taken out. Complete restauration and re-painting of mosque began in 2000. It has been done mainly by Hazim Numanagić, a Bosnian calligrapher. The Mosque to this day remains one of the most popular centers of worship in the city.

Gazi Husrev-beg also built the same mosque called Hüsreviye Mosque in Alep, Syria, between 1531 and 1534.