Banya Bashi Mosque

"It was commissioned by Mullah Effendi Kada Seyfullah, also known as Mollah Effendi, and designed by the renowned Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, who was responsible for iconic structures like the Selim Mosque in Edirne and the Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul. The inscription "974" above its entrance refers to the Islamic calendar year, indicating that the mosque was likely completed between 1566 and 1567 AD. The mosque’s architecture reflects the prominent trends of 16th-century Ottoman design. Its main structure is square with a central dome and a tall minaret. At the front is an annex with three small domes, built in memory of Mullah Effendi's wife. The building combines stone and brick, with intricate stone arches and columns carved from single stone blocks. The dome, made of lead, exemplifies the craftsmanship of the era. While the mosque has undergone several restorations, the most notable took place in the 1920s. Today, Banya Bashi Mosque remains an active place of worship, accommodating around 500 worshippers for Friday prayers, with the number rising to nearly 1,000 during important Islamic holidays like Bayram. As the only functioning mosque in Sofia, Banya Bashi Mosque is also notable for its location near Sofia's historic mineral baths, from which it derives its name ("banya" meaning "bath" in Bulgarian). This proximity reflects the mosque's role in the urban landscape of Sofia, as it served not just as a place of worship but as a social hub in the city's Ottoman past."

"The Banya-Bashi mosque was part of a larger bath complex, from which its name derives. This mosque was designed in 1576, by the greatest of all Ottoman architects, Mimar Sinan, who built the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. Banya Bashi Mosque is not officially open as a tourist attraction and there is no entrance fee, however visitors are welcome outside of prayer times, including women, if dressed modestly. Remember to take off your shoes when you enter. 👣How to get there: reachable on foot from Sofia Monument (350m- 5 min). Metro stop: Serdika, lines M1 and M4. 🎟️Ticket cost: free"

"You will not miss the minaret of the located nearby mosque. In fact, its name means “many baths”. It was built over natural thermal spas. You can be sure that this is true because of two reasons. Just a few meters behind it is the central bath. And secondly, many people are still using the hot springs in the area as a water source. Banya Bashi mosque is the only functioning mosque in Sofia which serves the needs of the Muslim community. It was built during the Ottoman rule of Bulgaria (which lasted for five centuries) and it remains like a symbol from this period. "