Öziceli Hacı İbrahim Mosque, Ottoman mosque in Esztergom, Hungary
The Öziceli Hacı Ibrahim Mosque is a two-story rectangular structure with arched doors, ogee-arch windows, and a hip roof. The building sits between Castle Hill and the Danube River, displaying clear Ottoman architectural features throughout its form.
Built between 1605 and 1663, as dated by period engravings and Evliya Çelebi's travelogue, the mosque was financed and erected entirely by the Ottomans in the first half of the 17th century. After Esztergom was retaken in 1683 it became the archbishop's granary, and barley grains were later found inside the jars in its walls. Around 1900 it belonged to the Petz family and served as a dwelling; the Rosenberg Hungária company bought the ruinous building in 1998 and restoration was completed on 20 November 2007.
The structure shows details of Islamic practice, such as the prayer niche that oriented worshippers toward Mecca during prayer time. The fat-bellied vessels built into the walls were practical: they absorbed sound and created a quieter space for worship.
The building is located on Berényi Zsigmond utca 18 and can be visited. The ground floor includes a cafe where visitors can rest while observing the interior details and Ottoman design elements at leisure.
The minaret was dismantled in the 18th century, but excavation found its lower section intact: the base survives to a height of 10 metres, and the first nine steps of the spiral staircase remain. The medieval street pavement beneath the building, used from the Middle Ages to the 18th century, was found four metres below today's street level.
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