King's Mosque Berat

Mosque in Berat

Xhamia Mbret E Beratit — CC BY-SA 4.0 / Augesti

There are three Islamic related buildings in the area, the King’s Mosque, Helveti teqe and the Inn of the Dervishes.

The King Mosque, also known as the Sultan’s Mosque or Sultan Bayezid Mosque, was built in the 15th century and is one of the oldest in Albania. It was built by the Ottoman sultan Bayezid II for the local Albanian population. The King’s Mosque was in danger of collapsing during the 19th and underwent a almost complete rebuild. It is still an active mosque. It has a women’s gallery and a painted wooden ceiling.

The Helveti teqe is a place of worship for the Helveti who are a dervish order, or fraternity, of Muslim mystics, is located behind the mosque. This, fairly small, square building was where the dervishes performed. It has a beautifully painted wood ceiling decorated with gold leaf and was specifically designed to improve the sound quality, and there is a balcony for the musicians. The building dates from the 15th Century although it was rebuilt by Ahmet Kurt Pasha in 1782. There is an inscription above the doorway which is dedicated to him. It has a small square prayer hall with an external portico. The columns are said to have come from the city of Apolonia.

At the back of the complex is the Inn of the Dervishes which was also built in the 19th Century. On the ground floor are open storage areas which could also be used to house animals. Above are the guest rooms with an open veranda.

The King's Mosque Berat appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Berat!