The Red Mosque ( sq, Xhamia e Kuqe) is a ruined mosque in

Berat Castle Berat Castle ( sq, Kalaja e Beratit), also referred to as the Citadel of Berat and castle quarter, is a fortress overlooking the town of Berat, Albania. It dates mainly from the 13th century and contains many Byzantine Empire, Byzantine churches in ...

Berat Berat (; sq-definite, Berati) is the ninth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Berat County and Berat Municipality. By air, it is north of Gjirokastër, west of Korçë, south of Tirana, and east of Fier. Berat is located in ...

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

. It is a

Cultural Monument of Albania In Albania, a cultural monument ''()'' is a construction or work of cultural, historical and artistic value that is built in a visible space, made in memory of important events or prominent people. Cultural monuments are usually under state protect ...

since 1961.

History

According to Ottoman explorer

Evliya Çelebi Derviş Mehmed Zillî (25 March 1611 – 1682), known as Evliya Çelebi ( ota, اوليا چلبى), was an Ottoman explorer who travelled through the territory of the Ottoman Empire and neighboring lands over a period of forty years, recording ...

(1611-1682), the mosque was built under the reign of

Bayazid II Bayezid II ( ota, بايزيد ثانى, Bāyezīd-i s̱ānī, 3 December 1447 – 26 May 1512, Turkish: ''II. Bayezid'') was the eldest son and successor of Mehmed II, ruling as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1481 to 1512. During his reign, B ...

. It was probably built in the 15th century and was one of the oldest mosques in the country. It was probably built shortly after the conquest of Berat by the Ottomans in 1417. The oldest written record dates from 1431/32. The original names were ''Mosque of the ruler'' and ''Mosque of conquest''. The mosque was used by caravans crossing the continent, and later by the Ottoman army.

Description

Berat, Old Town - Driving Albania 142 (3867520105)

The mosque is located just outside the citadel within the

. The basic dimensions were 9.9 to 9.1 meters and had a wooden roof. It was built with red bricks and

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

. The minaret is unusually on the left of entrance. The cylindrical part on its top is unique in the Islam culture. Inside, a small circular staircase gives access to the top for a 360 view of the castle and the city.

References

Cultural Monuments of Albania Mosques in Berat Ottoman architecture in Albania Ruins in Albania {{Albania-mosque-stub