Mosque of Pasha Qasim, Ottoman mosque in Széchenyi Square, Pécs, Hungary
The Mosque of Pasha Qasim stands at the highest point of Széchenyi Square, its square stone body topped by a pale green dome on an octagonal drum, crowned by a finial with a cross. Rough grey-brown walls carry two rows of arched windows, and a slender tower rises to the left. The building measures a hundred steps in length and width.
The building was constructed during the Ottoman occupation in the 16th century under Pasha Qasim's rule and originally functioned as a mosque. It was later converted into a Catholic church after the Turkish forces withdrew from the region.
The church is officially named after the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Candlemas), while locals still call it the mosque. Inside, Qur'an inscriptions survive on the remaining plaster, and the two Turkish washing basins now standing before the sacristies serve as holy water fonts; they came from the nearby Gazi Kasım Pasha bath, which no longer exists.
The church stands at the highest point of Széchenyi Square, its axis turned obliquely to the square so it faces Mecca. Mass is held regularly, so visits may be timed around services. The crypt system beneath the building was installed in 1967.
The minaret stood on the southwest side, built into the medieval church's foundations; it was demolished in 1766 and replaced by a squat tower. The two Turkish washing basins now used as holy water fonts came from the nearby Gazi Kasim Pasha bath, which no longer exists.
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