Monemvasia Mosque, Former Ottoman mosque and archaeological museum in Monemvasia, Greece.
Monemvasia Mosque is a former Ottoman place of worship that now serves as an archaeological museum in the lower medieval town. The building with its square prayer hall and western extension contains finds that document the history of Monemvasia from ancient times to the modern era.
The Ottomans took Monemvasia from Venice in November 1540 and soon after erected the mosque south of the lower town's central square. During the second Venetian rule (1690–1715) it became a hospice, possibly run by Capuchin monks, or a church of Saint Anthony of Padua. Reconverted to Muslim worship under the second Ottoman domination (1715–1821), it served as a prison after Greek independence in 1830 and as a café when Ramsay Traquair visited in the early 20th century.
The museum displays marble fragments from a 12th-century church and objects from early Christian through Ottoman times. The collected pieces tell the story of the different faiths and cultures that lived in this town over the centuries.
The museum is located in the lower medieval town and is easy to find when walking down the narrow cobblestone streets. Take your time exploring since the interior spaces are small and the labels are available in several languages.
The minaret that once stood at the southwest corner is gone, and the mihrab and porch are not preserved either. The dome, originally 8.5 metres high, rests on four squinches above a prayer hall measuring 6.5 metres on each interior side.
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