Fatih Sultan Mehmet Mosque, Ottoman mosque in Rozafa Castle, Shkodër, Albania
The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Mosque stands within Rozafa Castle and is a stone building with a distinctive minaret and vaulted ceilings that blend Islamic and Byzantine architectural features. Inside, different building styles combine into a single unified structure.
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.
Visitors should wear appropriate clothing when entering the building, especially during prayer times. Photography is allowed in certain areas outside of prayer hours.
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.
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