The Banya Bashi Mosque (1576) in Sofia, Bulgaria
The Banya Bashi Mosque is a mosque in Sofia, Bulgaria, built by the architect and civil engineer Mimar Sinan. Its construction was completed in 1566, during the years the Ottomans had control of the city. The mosque derives its name from the phrase Banya Bashi, which means many baths. The most outstanding feature of the mosque is that it was actually built over natural thermal spas; one can even see the steam rising from vents in the ground near the mosque walls. The mosque is famous for its large dome, diameter 15m, and the minaret. Currently, the Banya Bashi Mosque is the only functioning mosque in Sofia, a remnant of the Ottoman rule of Bulgaria that lasted nearly five centuries, and is used by the city's Muslim community.
Size: 5760px × 3840px
Location: Banya Bashi Mosque, Bulevard Knyaginya Maria Luiza 18, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria, Balkans, Europe
Photo credit: © DE ROCKER / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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