Old Mosque In Gjirokastra

The Old Mosque (also called the City Mosque) is centrally located at the Old Bazaar in Gjirokastra. It was built in the 17th century as part of the development plan for the bazaar. Despite the destruction of other mosques and churches under the communist ban on religion in the late 1960s, the Old Mosque was considered a cultural monument and was spared. Underneath the mosque is a portico which used to be a source of income for maintenance by collecting money from the shops that were located their.

The mosque is open daily and welcomes guests, which are advised to enter about 15 minutes after the call-to-prayer, when the imam is there. Every Friday the imam climbs up the 99 stairs of the minaret, which refer to the 99 names of God mentioned in the Quran, to deliver the midday Friday Prayers.