Great Mosque in Durrës, Ottoman mosque in central Durrës, Albania.
The Great Mosque in Durrës is a 1931 building designed by Italian architects in cooperation with Albanian authorities, covering 1,319 square metres on a 1,776-square-metre plot. Its construction planned two minarets, but work stopped in late 1938 leaving one unfinished to the second-floor base. The exterior retains its original construction, while the interior was reconstructed in 1994 and 2005.
The Great Mosque was built in 1931 under King Ahmed Zogu on the site of the Ottoman-era Varosh Mosque, which was demolished in 1928. Italian architects designed it in cooperation with Albanian authorities, and it was the largest mosque in Albania at its opening. Closed in 1967 under Enver Hoxha, its minaret was destroyed and the building served as a youth centre; it reopened in 1993 with aid from the International Islamic Relief Organization.
The mosque is also called Xhamia e Re, the New Mosque, and Xhamia Varosh after the older mosque it replaced outside the Ottoman walls. Mustafa Varoshi paid for the carpet, brought from Persia. The building covers 1,319 square metres on a 1,776 square metre plot in neighbourhood no. 2.
The building is open to visitors during the day who wish to see the religious architecture and interior design. It is best to visit outside of prayer times, as access may be limited when worshippers are inside.
The mosque was planned with two minarets, but construction stopped in late 1938 and the second minaret remained unfinished, reaching only the base of the second floor. The main advocate of the project was H. H. Mustafa Varoshi, who also paid for the carpet brought from Persia.
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