Kurshumlu mosque

LOCATION

The Kurshumlu Mosque is located in the central part of Silistra, Silistra municipality, 429 km away from Sofia. There is a bus three times a day leaving from the Sofia Central Bus Station to Silistra, as well as a train three times a day from the Sofia Central Railway Station.

DESCRIPTION

The Kurshumlu Mosque is the third most important Muslim temple in northern Bulgaria. It is one of the architectural models of the famous Ottoman architect, Mimar Sinan. It was proclaimed a monument of culture of local importance. It is believed that it best reflects the mastery of the Ottoman architects. Its name is derived from the lead sheets that cover her dome.

HISTORY

The Kurshumlu Mosque was built during the first decades of the 16th century. It is one of the architectural models of Mimar Sinan, an Ottoman architect and engineer, considered to be the most significant builder in the history of Ottoman architecture. He worked during the ruling of sultans Suleiman I, Selim II and Murad III. His style is strongly influenced by the architecture of the Constantinople Cathedral of Hagia Sophia. It is described in the writings of Evlia Chelebi, a famous Ottoman writer. After the Tombul Mosque in Shumen and the Ibrahim Pasha Mosque in Razgrad, the Kurshumlu mosque is the third most important in Northern Bulgaria.

The Kurshumu mosque is from the so-called "sultan type" of mosques. The prayer hall is covered with a massive stone cube, which is "placed" on a square base. The construction is made of cut limestone quarries and mortar solution. The cube has a double layer of stone and brick.

The first renovation of the building was made in 1690 by the students of the architect Sinan. This repair is marked in a marble plate in the building. The frescoes decoration of the mosque dates from 1730 to 1800. Studies show it is the oldest fully preserved mosque in northern Bulgaria. The decoration is concentrated in the interior, the walls are decorated in colored stones, the decoration topics are roses, carnations, tulips and other flowers.[1]

In 2015. without a permit a citizen from Silistra decided to start repairing the mosque. His team of construction workers painted 2m of the wall, wiping off frescoes from 500 years ago and covered the floor with wood wiping off the original ceramic flooring. Employed construction workers wanted to throw out large stone plates from the windows of the mosque but were stopped by the imam. The restoration of the frescoed murals will cost about BGN 27,000.[2]

During the renovation, the foundations of an older religious temple, most probably Christian, were revealed, and after a detailed analysis of the excavations, specialists from the National Institute for Cultural Heritage (NINKN) came to the conclusion that its ruins are of historical value. They therefore recommended that the future reconstruction, restoration and conservation of the mosque should be adequately exposed in the interior of the building.

Turkish citizen Ali Y. was convicted by the Silistra District Court for 2 years and 6 months imprisonment with a five-year probation period and a fine of 8000 BGN for the unlawful renovation of the Kurshumlu Mosque facade, a fine of 5 000 BGN was taken in favor of the state.

SITE SIGNIFICANCE

The Kurshumu Mosque is a cultural monument of local importance and is the third most important Muslim temple in Northern Bulgaria.

VISITOR INFORMATION

Kurshumlu Mosque is not an active worship site and is closed to visitors.

OTHER INFORMATION

The mosque is considered the third most important in Northeastern Bulgaria, after the Shoumen Tombul Mosque and the Ibrahim Pasha Mosque in Razgrad.

The majority of the population of Silistra consists of people who are Orthodox Christians. Both currents of the Muslim religion are professed in Silistra: Sunni and Shiite. Sunnis from Silistra were owners of 17 mosques in the past. By 2014 there are two mosques left - Kurshumu Mosque and New Mosque.

SITE CLASSIFICATION

Religious site

[1]   Opoznai.bg <https://opoznai.bg/view/kurshumlu-djamiia-silistra> (24.04.2018)

[2] 24-chasa.bg <https://www.24chasa.bg/novini/article/5594159>(24.04.2018)