Muslihudin 膶ekrek膷ija Mosque, Sarajevo
Tucked into the lanes of Bascarsija鈥攖he old bazaar of Sarajevo鈥攖he Muslihudin Cekrekcija Mosque offers a quiet pause amid copper workshops and coffee houses. Built in 1526, it is among the city鈥檚 oldest domed mosques and a touchstone of the early Ottoman era in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its founder, Muslihudin Hadzi Mustafa, earned the nickname 鈥淐ekrekcija鈥� for crafting cekrke鈥攑ulleys and winches鈥攁n echo of Sarajevo鈥檚 merchant-craftsman past that still hums in the surrounding streets.
Architecturally, the mosque is a compact, single-domed sanctuary with a shallow cupola and a slender minaret that rises directly from the body of the building鈥攁n elegant silhouette typical of early Sarajevo mosques. Though its original porch has not survived, the intimate interior and stonework convey the restrained grace of 16th-century Ottoman design. The mosque stands at the foot of Kova膷i, steps from other landmarks in the historic core, making it an easy and rewarding stop on a walking exploration of the old city.
Cekrekcija鈥檚 legacy reaches beyond its walls. The mosque鈥檚 vakuf (pious endowment) once included dozens of nearby market shops whose rents helped sustain religious and social services鈥攁n arrangement recorded in one of Sarajevo鈥檚 oldest surviving endowment deeds. This practical blend of faith and commerce shaped Ba拧膷ar拧ija鈥檚 everyday life for centuries and remains part of the story you encounter as you wander its alleys today.
Visitors are welcome outside prayer times; dress modestly, remove shoes at the entrance, and speak softly inside. Plan 15鈥�20 minutes to appreciate the interior, then continue to nearby sights such as the Gazi Husrev-beg complex and the caravanserai ruins. Standing here, with the call to prayer shading into the clink of tinsmiths, you鈥檒l sense how Sarajevo鈥檚 spiritual and trading worlds have long shared the same narrow streets.
Architecturally, the mosque is a compact, single-domed sanctuary with a shallow cupola and a slender minaret that rises directly from the body of the building鈥攁n elegant silhouette typical of early Sarajevo mosques. Though its original porch has not survived, the intimate interior and stonework convey the restrained grace of 16th-century Ottoman design. The mosque stands at the foot of Kova膷i, steps from other landmarks in the historic core, making it an easy and rewarding stop on a walking exploration of the old city.
Cekrekcija鈥檚 legacy reaches beyond its walls. The mosque鈥檚 vakuf (pious endowment) once included dozens of nearby market shops whose rents helped sustain religious and social services鈥攁n arrangement recorded in one of Sarajevo鈥檚 oldest surviving endowment deeds. This practical blend of faith and commerce shaped Ba拧膷ar拧ija鈥檚 everyday life for centuries and remains part of the story you encounter as you wander its alleys today.
Visitors are welcome outside prayer times; dress modestly, remove shoes at the entrance, and speak softly inside. Plan 15鈥�20 minutes to appreciate the interior, then continue to nearby sights such as the Gazi Husrev-beg complex and the caravanserai ruins. Standing here, with the call to prayer shading into the clink of tinsmiths, you鈥檒l sense how Sarajevo鈥檚 spiritual and trading worlds have long shared the same narrow streets.
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Muslihudin 膶ekrek膷ija Mosque on Map
Sight Name: Muslihudin 膶ekrek膷ija Mosque
Sight Location: Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina (See walking tours in Sarajevo)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina (See walking tours in Sarajevo)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
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Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles