MOSQUÉE ALADŽA

This mosque (Aladža Džamija/Алаџа Џамија) was one of the most important in the country. Erected in 1549, it was destroyed by Bosnian-Serb nationalists in 1992 along with twelve other mosques in Foča. The building that can be seen today is a faithful replica. It was completed in 2018 and opened for worship the following year. The original mosque was designed by local notable Hasan Nezir, a student and friend of the greatest Ottoman architect, Mimar Sinan (1490-1588). Nicknamed the "pearl of Bosnia", it has influenced many buildings, such as the Ali Pacha Mosque in Sarajevo (1560). Forming almost a square on the ground (11.22 m by 11.30 m), the building corresponds to the classic Ottoman plan: large dome covered with copper (11 m in diameter, 19.85 m high), porch with three small domes and flanked by a minaret (36 m high). It is distinguished by its rich decoration which earned it the name "colored"(alaca in Turkish): plant ornaments, rosette in the form of flower, sumptuous calligraphy. As for the mihrab (niche indicating Mecca), the minbar (pulpit used for the sermon) and the mahfili (mezzanine reserved for the muezzin), finely sculpted and painted, they are considered by some art historians as the most beautiful of the Balkans. At the entrance, there are elements from the original building. Others, more precious, are kept in the National Museum in Sarajevo. Finally, in the courtyard, the chadirvan (fountain for ritual ablutions) and the türbe (mausoleum) where Hasan Nezir was buried have been reproduced.