Istiqlal Mosque, Postmodern mosque in Otoka, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Istiqlal Mosque is a postmodern mosque in the Otoka neighbourhood of Sarajevo, built on 2,800 square metres. It has a single copper-coloured dome 27 metres high and 27 metres in diameter, with three horizontal openings that let daylight into the space beneath. Two twin minarets flank the entrance and rise 48 metres.
The mosque was initiated during a 1995 visit by Indonesian President Suharto as a gesture of international support for Sarajevo. Construction was completed in 2001, marking an important moment of rebuilding in the city after conflict.
The mosque blends Indonesian design elements with modern European forms, creating a visual fusion that visitors can experience directly in the carved wooden details and interior spaces. This combination reflects the building's international origins and its role in Sarajevo's diverse religious landscape.
The mosque stands on Otoka in western Sarajevo, on a 2,800 square metre plot, and is easy to recognise by its 27-metre copper-coloured dome and twin 48-metre minarets. It is an active place of worship with five daily prayers, Jumu'ah and Eid prayers, so time a visit outside those moments and dress modestly.
The twin minarets, 48 metres high, stand for the two nations: Indonesia, whose people and government funded the mosque, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The dome and both minarets carry three spherical pinnacles topped with a star and crescent. The name Istiklal is Arabic for independence, so the building also marks Bosnia and Herzegovina's independence.
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