Karađoz Beg Mosque

Mostar is often called the city of mosques that can be found in every district
and which represent the typical style of the Ottoman Empire. These small
and elegant buildings are not only beautiful, but bear testimonies of the life
and culture of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Ottoman period.
Karajozbeg mosque (or the Karagoz-bey mosque, Karadjozbegova Dzamija)
is considered the main mosque in Mostar and is the title of the most
beautiful mosque in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The building was
erected in the middle of the 16th century by the design of Sinan, who at that
time was the chief architect of the Ottoman Empire. Its name was given to
the mosque in honor of the famous patron of the country Mehmed-bek-
Karagez. It was he who donated most of the funds for which the whole
complex was built: the mosque itself, the Islamic school related to it, a
library, a shelter for the homeless and a free hotel for travelers.
The mosque was badly damaged during World War II, and later destroyed in
the Bosnian war in the early 1990s. Major overhaul of the building began in
2002, again the Karajozbeg mosque opened to the public in the summer of
2004.
The Karajozbeg mosque in Mostar is built in an architectural style,
traditional for the 16th century. It is also considered one of the most
representative monuments of Islamic architecture of the time in the world.
The building is richly decorated with arabesques, and a fountain is installed
in the courtyard. The water from him is washed before prayer. The mosque
is also remarkable for the fact that it retains the handwritten Quran, written
about 4 centuries ago.
Visitors to the Karajozbeg mosque are allowed to climb a steep staircase and
a 35-meter high minaret. From its height you can enjoy fascinating views of
Mostar.