Djumaya Mosque, Ottoman mosque in Central District, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Djumaya Mosque is a mosque in central Plovdiv with a prayer hall measuring 33 by 27 metres, covered by nine domes supported by four central columns. Its minaret stands at the northeast corner of the main façade. The walls use a masonry of two brick layers alternating with one layer of cut stone, with bricks set vertically between the stone blocks.
Built in the 1360s after Ottoman forces took control of Plovdiv, the mosque replaced an earlier Christian place of worship. This shift marked a change in the religious landscape of the city.
The name Dzhumaya comes from the Turkish word for "Friday", the day of the communal midday prayer. The mosque was first called Muradiye after Sultan Murad, and later Ulu Dzhumaya, "Main Friday Mosque". A verse inscription in Ottoman Turkish stands above the north entrance, and a sundial placed in 1878 sits at the southwest corner.
The building has specific visiting hours and it is wise to check ahead before arriving. Keep in mind this is an active place of worship where respectful behavior is expected, especially during prayer times.
In February 2014 a mob described as hundreds of nationalists, fascists and football hooligans attacked the mosque; 120 people were detained and four received minor sentences. The Grand Mufti of Bulgaria, Mustafa Haci, called the attack a pogrom.
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