The Et’hem Bey Mosque is located in the center of the Albanian capital Tirana
The historical Ethem Bey mosque
The Et’hem Bey Mosque is located in the center of the Albanian capital Tirana. Construction was started in 1789 by Molla Bey and it was finished in 1823 by his son Ethem Pasha (Haxhi Ethem Bey), great-grandson of Sulejman Pasha.
During the totalitarianism of the Socialist People’s Republic of Albania, the mosque was closed. In January 18, 1991, despite opposition from communist authorities, 10,000 people entered carrying flags. This was at the onset of the fall of communism in Albania. The frescoes of the mosque depict trees, waterfalls and bridges; still life paintings are a rarity in Islamic art.
The mosque in 1943
Lit up at night
Tours of the mosque are given daily, though not during prayer service
The historical Ethem Bey mosque is situated in Tirana. Right in the centre of the city, in Skanderberg´s square. It is the oldest building in the city. Construction works of the mosque began in 1789 and finished in 1923. During the comunism was the mosque closed and survived also a violent atheism. Interior of the mosque is decorated by paintings of trees, waterfalls, flowers and bridges. Further we can see life-forms there, very strange component of islamic art.
Several major tourist attractions can be mentioned in the town’s surroundings, like Tirana about 0.3 km, Krujë about 21 km, Drač about 30 km, National History Museum of Albania about 0.3 km, Dajti National Park about 10 km, Tirana Grand Park about 3.7 km, Petrela Castle about 9 km, Tirana – The mother of Albania about 2.8 km, Skanderbeg´s monument about 0.1 km, Mali me Gropa about 21 km
