Description of the attraction
The Karagez-Bek Mosque is considered the main mosque in Mostar and the most beautiful mosque in Herzegovina. It was built in 1557 in the very center, on the banks of the Neretva River.
The author of the project is the famous Sinan, the chief architect of the Ottoman Empire under three sultans, starting with Suleiman the Magnificent. During his life, he built more than three hundred buildings - from palaces and fountains to charitable canteens and hospitals. The architect worked mainly in Istanbul, in Herzegovina he built the famous Visegrad Bridge and the Karagez-Bek Mosque.
Named in honor of Mehmed-bey-Karagez, a respected and revered person in Herzegovina. He was born into the family of an Ottoman official in the suburbs of Mostar, and remained in the memory of his descendants thanks to huge charitable donations. In his native village, he built a small mosque and an elementary Islamic school, in the neighboring Blagay - a stone bridge. The most significant charitable act of Karagez-bek was the large domed mosque in Mostar. It has a whole complex - an elementary school, a madrasah, a library, a charity hotel for the homeless, and a free inn for travelers.
The wars - the Second World War and the Balkan War - inflicted significant damage on these structures. Now the monument of Muslim architecture has been restored and is open to visitors. At the mosque, the oldest madrasah in these parts is again operating.
The interior of the mosque is designed in the traditional style of that era. In the pretty courtyard there is a beautiful fountain for ablutions before prayer. The highest minaret is allowed to climb. Although the stairs are very narrow and steep, there are stunning views of the city from above - admire and take pictures.
