Al-Wazeer Mosque, Ottoman mosque in Baghdad, Iraq
Al-Wazeer Mosque is a Sunni mosque in Baghdad's Al-Rusafa district, behind Souk al-Sarai near the Tigris. Its wide courtyard exceeds 1,000 square metres, and the winter prayer hall holds 500 worshippers. A dome covered in glazed tiles and marble rises above the haram, with a round minaret on its left; the interior has muqarnas and Qur'anic inscriptions.
Hassan Pasha, governor of Baghdad from 1594 to 1603, ordered this mosque built in 1599. It was constructed on the site of an earlier Abbasid religious building, continuing a long tradition of worship at that location.
The mosque's name means "The Governor's Mosque," after Hassan Pasha, who governed Baghdad from 1594 to 1603. A coffeehouse called Hassan Pasha Café was built beside it in 1604, overlooking the Tigris. Sheikh Taha al-Sanwi, a well-known teacher at the mosque's madrasa, is buried inside.
The courtyard and prayer spaces are reasonably accessible, though visitors should dress respectfully and be aware of prayer times. It is best to check in advance when the site welcomes visitors, since prayer hours take priority.
A wooden entrance door framed by yellow bricks and blue glazing marks the passage into this structure near the Tigris River. This colored framing stands out distinctly from the rest of the brick exterior and serves as a recognizable landmark along the waterway.
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