Bayrakli Mosque, Samokov, Ottoman mosque in Samokov, Bulgaria.
The Bayrakli Mosque is a rectangular prayer hall topped by a dome that rests on four wooden columns. The space measures roughly 14 by 14.5 meters and follows a straightforward, symmetrical layout typical of Ottoman religious buildings.
The mosque was built in 1845 under Mehmet Husref Pasha's direction during the Ottoman period. A major restoration by architect Nikola Mushanov in 1966 renewed the building and ensured its long-term survival.
The floral wall paintings were made by non-Muslim artists of the Samokov school — Ivan Ikonopisets, Hristo Yovevich and Kosta Valyov — and were painted over in the 19th century, then uncovered in the 1966 restoration. The building is also called Yokush Mosque, and legend says its founder had both a cross and a crescent placed on the dome.
The former mosque is now a museum, so visits are self-guided through the prayer hall and the arcaded portico. The women's section is on the portico's upper floor, reached separately from the main hall. The minaret stands beside the building; there is no access to its top.
The mosque's interior was painted with floral motifs by non-Muslim artists from the Samokov school: Ivan Ikonopisets, Hristo Yovevich and Kosta Valyov. These frescoes were covered over in the 19th century and only uncovered during the 1966 restoration led by architect Nikola Mushanov.
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