King Mosque, Elbasan
| King Mosque | |
|---|---|
Xhamia e Mbretit (Elbasan) | |
An Ottoman-style mosque window, in 2015 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Mosque
|
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Elbasan Castle, Elbasan, Elbasan County |
| Country | Albania |
Location of the mosque in Albania | |
Interactive map of King Mosque | |
| Coordinates | 41°6′43″N 20°4′45″E / 41.11194°N 20.07917°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Islamic architecture |
| Style | Ottoman |
| Founder | Bayezid II |
| Groundbreaking | 1492 CE |
| Completed | 1502 CE |
| Specifications | |
| Minaret | 1 (rebuilt in 2013) |
| Minaret height | 14 m (46 ft) |
| Official name | Sultan Bayezid Mosque, Elbasa |
| Designated | 1948 |
| Reference no. | 12175 |
The King Mosque (Albanian: Xhamia e Mbretit (Elbasan) or Xhamia e Hynqarit; Turkish: Hünkâr Camii) also known as the Sultan Bayezid Mosque (Xhamia e Sulltan Bajazitit) is a mosque, located within Elbasan Castle, in the town of Elbasan, in the Elbasan County of Albania. The mosque was designated as a Cultural Monument of Albania in 1948.[1][2]
Overview
The mosque was built by the Ottoman Sultan Bayazid II between 1492 and 1502;[3][a] and was named in honour of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II.[3] It is one of the oldest active mosques in Albania, after the Fatih Mosque in Durrës, established in 1466 CE.
The mosque consists of a porch with a tiled roof and a prayer hall that is c. 12 by 12 metres (39 ft × 39 ft), separated in two by a wooden portico of three pillars. During the Communist rule of Enver Hoxha, the building was converted into a political education center in 1967. Its 14-metre-high (46 ft) minaret, that was partially destroyed in 1979, was rebuilt in 2013.[3][4]
Gallery
See also
- Islam in Albania
- List of mosques in Albania
- List of religious cultural monuments of Albania
- List of the oldest mosques in Central and Eastern Europe
Notes
- ^ It was also claimed to be built between 1482 and 1485.
References
- ^ "Religious buildings with the "Culture Monument" status". Republic of Albania National Committee for Culture. 1948. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved October 28, 2010.
- ^ "Sultan Bayezid Mosque, Elbasa: 12175". Cultural Inventory. June 15, 2025. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
- ^ a b c "KING'S MOSQUE". petitfute.co.uk. n.d. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
- ^ Bela, B. (June 7, 2025). Murtezani, S.; Abdula, S. (eds.). "Observation on Ottoman Religious Heritage Legacy in Elbasan City, Than and Now". 1st International Balkan Studies Congress Proceedings. 2. Idefe Publications: 171–190. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
External links
Media related to Mbret Mosque, Elbasan at Wikimedia Commons