Like most buildings in the “stone city,” this mosque is located on steep terrain in the city center, on the western side of the bazaar. In the well-known Travels of the chronicler Evliya Çelebi, who passed through Gjirokastër in 1672, this mosque is referred to by a different name—the Memi Bey Mosque. An inscription on the building dates it to 1754-55 (1168 H). In 1967, it was closed for worship by the regime at the time and was repurposed as a warehouse and a training ground for acrobats. After the fall of the regime, the mosque was reopened for worship in 1991. It is said that this mosque is unique in being the only one to have survived the destruction of the communist era intact. It remained in this condition until 2018, when it was restored, giving it a beautiful new appearance. The mosque is visited year-round by tourists interested in the city’s heritage, as it stands out upon entering the museum area of Gjirokastër.
Architectural Features
As is typical of Islamic religious structures from that period, the Bazaar Mosque consists of a prayer hall, a portico, and a minaret. Stone stairs with two ascending ramps, supported by a system of vaults, lead to the prayer hall.
Prayer Hall
The hall has a square layout measuring 8.85 x 8.95 meters on the interior and is covered by a dome supported by trompes at the corners. Unlike other mosques, its cubic volume is not very tall to prevent excessive weight from bearing down on the substructures. The hall is illuminated by two rows of windows: the lower ones are rectangular, while the upper ones have arched stone frames.
Minaret
The minaret has a relatively short body but features multilayered incisions. It is a finely crafted structure made of well-carved stone.
Portico
The portico extends along the northern and eastern sides of the mosque. Originally, circular arches stood above them, but today, only the western arch remains. A similar architectural feature can be seen in the Et’hem Bey Mosque in Tirana, and it is believed that this design was later adopted in the capital.
