Description of the attraction
The Efem Bey Mosque is a cult building in Tirana dating from the late eighteenth century. Behind the first door of the temple is a plaque indicating that the mosque was built by Mulla Bey, a wealthy man from Tirana who donated money to charity.
Mulla Bey laid the foundation for this temple in 1791, but he was unable to finish the walls and domes of the mosque, as well as the interior and exterior decoration, because he died after 1807. The mullah's son, Haji (Nachhi) Efem-Bey continued the construction of his father. During the reign of Haji Efem-Bey, the walls of the temple were painted, the ceiling was built in the form of a portico. The end of construction, according to various estimates, fell on 1830 or 1831. There is no exact information about the architects of this mosque, but, according to some sources, they were two educated residents of Tirana, called Mulla and Mulla Yusuf Halim Bulku Zorba.
A feature of this mosque is the use of elements of nature in the decor. The frescoes of the mosque depict trees, waterfalls and bridges; paintings from nature are a rarity in Islamic art. The hall of the mosque is divided into floors that rise up to the vaults. The dome of the mosque is decorated with suras from the Koran written in a spiral. Closer to the top of the dome, 99 names of Allah are displayed.
Sightseeing tours to the temple are held daily, except for prayer times. Visitors must take off their shoes before entering the indoor areas.
