Mehmed Beg Karadzoz Mosque in Mostar

The masterpiece of Ottoman architecture

This article is a part of the project 'Promotion of the Ottoman Cultural Heritage of Bosnia and Turkey' which is organized by Monolit, Association for Promoting Islamic Arts and supported by the Republic of Turkey (YTB - Prime Ministry, Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities).

The Mehmed Beg Karadzoz Mosque represents the masterpiece of Ottoman architecture in the Balkans. It was built in 1557/58 in Mostar which, next to Sarajevo, represents the most important religious and cultural centre of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Mostar has a very rich architectural inheritance that is preserved from the Ottoman period among which, except for mosques, we should highlight the famous Old bridge from 1557. The founder of the Mehmed Beg Karadzoz Mosque was a dominant political figure in Bosnia at that time. He is the brother of the grand vizier Rustem Pasha and Sinan Pasha who built their mosques in Istanbul. He got the nickname Karadzoz which means 'with black eyes'. He died in Mostar around the year 1564.

The style of the Mehmed Beg Karadzoz Mosque belongs to classical Ottoman architecture. Typologically, that is a one-space dome mosque. We can say with certainty that it was designed in the central architectural office in Istanbul, and there are also serious indications that its architect was the famous Mimar Sinan. The Mosque is monumental and its proportions are very harmonious. It is built with precisely tanned stone. It has a porch with three domes and one of the best-made stone minarets in the Balkans, with rich decoration in the sherefe. Inside there is a specially distinguished mihrab with muqarnas that are excellently executed.

The Mehmed Beg Karadzoz Mosque / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Next to the Mehmed Beg Karadzoz Mosque, there is a madrasah that dates just before the year 1570. It consists of one big room, a dershana (classroom) and four rooms where the students lived. Besides this, Karadzoz Beg also built four bridges as well as many other monuments.