Fatih Sultan Mehmet Mosque, Ottoman mosque in Rozafa Castle, Shkodër, Albania

The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Mosque is a ruined former cathedral and mosque inside Rozafa Castle, near Shkodër. Its walls, a mihrab set into the old altar apse, a dikka and the remains of a large minaret survive; the building was partially destroyed around 1967. The 13th-century structure was enlarged under Venetian rule in the 14th and 15th centuries.

The building was erected in the 13th century as a cathedral and was converted by the Ottomans into an Islamic place of worship in 1685. This transformation marked a profound shift in the region's religious history.

The building shows traces of both faiths in its walls and interior, blending elements from its church past with additions made when it became a mosque. Walking through the space, visitors can read these two overlapping histories in the stones themselves.

The building is a ruin inside Rozafa Castle, so expect uneven stone floors and no roof; wear sturdy shoes. There are no prayer times or entry rules, as it no longer functions as a mosque. Visit during the castle's opening hours, and bring water in summer, as the courtyard offers little shade.

The building retained a church organ after its conversion to a mosque, left behind by the Ottoman forces as a war trophy. This unusual detail reveals how the conquerors sometimes dealt with the structures they took over.