Muradie Mosque

The Muradie Mosque is a Cultural Monument of Albania, located in Vlorë. Initially, the now called Muradie Mosque, was a Byzantine Church. The Byzantine architectural elements are evident with the Dome and its supporting polygon raised base, the arched windows, the classical triangular forms topping the side walls, and most importantly the brick work which is quite characteristic of the church buildings of the byzantine and renaissance period. At a close examination the brick work reveals the layers and the two different brick colors used building the cult object. Also important to note is the stark contrast between the texture, quality, color, and size and sequence of the bricks used building the church compared with the white larger chiseled stones used building the latter addition of the Islamic minaret. Another stark contrast is noted comparing the cylindrical arrangement and built of the minaret with the classical symmetry of the geometrical elements of the object: the Dome, the polygon base of the dome, the triangular wall tops, the arched windows, the overall polygon shape of the Dome and its supporting base and walls arranged on top of a square building. The minaret, although exquisitely built, it is notably asymmetrical with the existing symmetry, and notably out of place! The accurate date of the object has to be determined, but it could range between 11th century to 13th century. The popular dating of this object at year 1537 is inaccurate and it probably relates to the retrofitting of the Islamic minaret to the previous church by the Ottomans when the region fell under their control. It could be very well accurate that this retrofit was performed in 1537 by the famous Ottoman Turkish architect Mimar Sinan during the rulership of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, but again that has to be accurately determined by historical accounts. The mosque is now a property of the Islamic Community in Albania and is located in downtown Vlora on a central square, surrounded on all four sides with roads. It is located on west of Sadik Zotaj, south of Lef Sallata and east of Papa Kristo Negovani roads. The structure consists of the main building and the minaret. The former is about 10 to 11 square meters while the minaret has a length of 18 metres.
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