Koski-Mehmed Pasha Mosque, Mostar (must see)

The minaret of the Koski-Mehmed Pasha Mosque is not as high as that of its elder sibling, the Karadjoz-Beg Mosque, also of Mostar. Still, from its position on the banks of the Neretva River, it stands out above all other buildings of Mostar.

Mehmed Koskija, founder of the Koski-Mehmed Pasha Mosque, died in 1611. He was the chronicler of the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, Mehmed-Pasa Sokolovic. After Mehmed Koskija's death, the mosque was finished in 1619 by his brother, Mahmud, who also added a school. The mosque is a prime example of classical Islamic architecture in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Designed in the main architecture office of Istanbul, the basic concept of the mosque called for a one-space floor plan with a dome. It resembles the older Karadjoz-Beg Mosque, which probably served as a model. The lower minaret of the Koski-Mehmed mosque lacks stalactite decorations around the balcony of the minaret.

The mosque has a porch with three domes. Inside, the prayer niche and pulpit are exceptionally crafted. The mosque suffered damage in the civil war of 1993. The restoration period lasted from 1996 to 2001. The Koski-Mehmed Pasha Mosque has a collection of rare manuscripts from the Quran, and carpets gifted by the old Austrian monarchy.