Cultural Corridors of South East Europe

Heritage by Country / Bosnia and Herzegovina

Aladza Mosque - site and remains

Aladza Mosque - site and remains

About the site


Corridor: Diagonal Road
Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Foca
Type: Islamic religious centre
Epoch: Middle Ages
Theme:
World Heritage:
Middle AgesIslamic religious centre

The Hasan-pasha mosque (Aladza or Sarena – coloured – mosque) was built in 1550-51
(957 AH). By the second half of the 16th century the mosque had already acquired the name Aladza, for its rich painted and carved decoration (alaca means coloured). In 1588, Ali Celebija is referred to as the hatib of the Aladza mosque. The founder of the Aladza mosque, Hasan, son of Jusuf Sinanuddin, was the supervisor of all the imperial lands in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He died in Buda as defterdar (Minister of Finance) of the city.
The Aladza mosque, symbol of the town, is located on the right bank of the Cehotine river. At
the time of its construction, the mosque was distinctive in its architecture, its structural
proportions, and its geometrical and floral decoration, evidence that Hasan Nazir did not stint his wealth when he decided to build a mosque of unique beauty. The master-builder
Ramadan had built 21 mosques before the Aladza. The 36 m tall, slender, quadrangular minaret stood out for the virtuosity of construction. Each field of the pedestal of
the minaret was carved with fine motifs in the Arab style, each one different.  The skills with which the decoration was executed on the stone surfaces of the mihrab, mimber and mahfil, the portal and the capitals of the portico, is also evidence of the superb craftsmanship of the stonemason

Council of Europe, RPSEE



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