Muradie Mosque

The Muradie mosque in Vlora was built in 1542 and is attributed to the school of the Ottoman architect Sinan, a small square domed building with a porch and a single minaret, in alternating courses of stone and brick, with material reused from the ancient site of Orikum and other older buildings visible in the fabric. It is among the oldest mosques standing in Albania and one of the few in Vlora to survive the twentieth century, when most religious buildings in the city were destroyed. The interior is plain, with the dome carried on squinches. It stands in the middle of the modern city, which was heavily rebuilt, and it takes a short time to see but is the main surviving piece of old Vlora.

What you actually see

• A Sinan-school domed plan - a square chamber under a single dome.
• Alternating stone and brick - the sixteenth-century masonry.
• Reused ancient stone - material from Orikum built into the walls.
• A rare survival - most of old Vlora was cleared or destroyed.

When to go

April to October for the city; the mosque is open year round outside prayer times. One hour. Friday midday is not a time for visitors. Modest dress and shoes off.

Honest expectations

It is small and twenty minutes covers it. Access depends on prayer times and on who is at the door. The interior is plain with no decoration. The modern city around it is unattractive.

Nearby

The Vlora lungomare is a short walk; Kanina castle stands on the hill above.