Banya Bashi . Mosque

The Banya Bashi Mosque was designed by the greatest Ottoman architect in 1576, Mimar Sinan, who was also the builder of the Sultan Selim Mosque in Edirne and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. Banya Bashi means "many bathhouses" and the name is derived from the fact that the church was built based on natural thermal spas. Today, visitors can even see steam rising from vents in the ground near the mosque's walls.

From the outside, the church has a simple beauty with ancient architecture, a large dome with a diameter of up to 15m and a high tower. This is common in mosques and the Banya Bashi Church is the only surviving example in Bulgaria of a dome placed on a cubic base that still stands today. The interior of the church is absolutely breathtaking, the middle and east wall are covered with aquamarine tiles (a glossy blue color combination of green and blue), tiles with beautiful calligraphy. quotes from the Koran. The ceiling of the dome is really a breakthrough point, the colorful patterns running along each curve combined with the reflection of light through the glass windows dotted with colorful stones create a unique atmosphere. sacred space but no less splendid.

Today, the Banya Bashi mosque serves more than 8000 followers of the more than 1 million Muslims in Sofia. Especially on Friday, the day when everyone is encouraged to come to the church to pray, the area around the church is very busy because the service inside the church is played on loudspeakers for those who cannot inside. The church is not officially open as a tourist attraction and does not charge an entrance fee. Visitors here should dress modestly and can take pictures inside the church if desired.

Phone : +359 2 981 6001

Hours of Operation :

05:00 - 22:00 on weekdays

Prayer time: 13:30; 15:30; 20:45

Visitors can only visit outside of prayer hours