Jakovali Hassan Mosque
Baranya
The Jakovali Hassan Mosque, located in Pécs, Hungary, is a remarkable early 17th-century Ottoman mosque named after its benefactor, Yakovalı Hasan Paşa. It stands as one of the oldest surviving mosques from the Ottoman era in Hungary and is uniquely preserved with its original minaret intact and still functional. The mosque features a simple square base topped with a Turkish dome and ogee windows, oriented towards Mecca. Historically, it was part of a larger complex including a dervish monastery, soup kitchen, and Islamic school. After the Ottoman era, the mosque was converted into a Catholic chapel and later restored in the 20th and 21st centuries to its original form. Today, it serves as both a place of Muslim worship and a cultural exhibition space with Turkish handicrafts and historical artifacts. Visitors can admire the prayer hall with its rosewood minbar and kürsü, the 22.5-meter high minaret, and the surrounding garden, which reflects Ottoman decorative motifs. The mosque remains a symbol of the multicultural history of Pécs and the Ottoman legacy in Hungary.
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Astuce: Visitors should plan to visit on designated open days, avoiding Mondays and Friday prayer times when the mosque is closed to tourists. Guided historical tours are available every Saturday at 4 PM, lasting about two hours, providing rich context about the mosque and Ottoman-era Pécs. Booking tickets in advance is recommended via the official website or contact phone. The mosque offers free or discounted entry for some groups, supported by Turkish state grants and private donations. Visiting during religious holidays or Ramadan offers a unique cultural experience, though access may be limited.
Faits intéressants
- •The mosque is one of the oldest surviving Ottoman mosques in Hungary and the most intact from that era.
- •Its minaret is 22.5 meters high and is the only Ottoman-era minaret in Hungary still attached to a mosque and retaining its original function.
- •The mosque was converted into a Catholic chapel with Baroque interior decorations after the Ottoman era, which were later removed during restoration.
- •A bronze statue of the Ottoman chronicler İbrahim Peçevi was unveiled in front of the mosque in 2016.
- •The mosque complex originally included a dervish monastery (tekke), a soup kitchen (imaret), and an Islamic school (madrassa).
- •The mosque’s upkeep is supported by private donations and grants from the Turkish government.
Histoire
The mosque was likely constructed in the 1630s during the Ottoman occupation of Hungary, commissioned by Yakovalı Hasan Paşa, a notable Ottoman official connected to the region.
It functioned as a mosque for about fifty years before Austrian forces captured Pécs in 1686, after which it was repurposed as a hospital.
In the early 18th century, it was converted into a Catholic chapel, with Baroque modifications including a bell tower replacing the minaret's spire.
The mosque underwent restoration in the 1960s to remove Baroque additions and restore its original Ottoman features, and again in the 2000s ahead of Pécs's role as European Capital of Culture in 2010.
The minaret remains one of only three surviving Ottoman minarets in Hungary and is the only one still attached to a mosque.
Guide du lieu
Main Prayer Hall
The central space for congregational prayers, featuring a mihrab niche indicating the direction of Mecca. The hall contains a rosewood minbar (pulpit) and a kürsü (lecture loge), typical elements of Turkish mosques.
Minaret17th century
A slender, 22.5-meter-high tower attached to the mosque, originally used for the call to prayer. The minaret features a stone balcony that was once decorated with a stone railing and illuminated with oil lamps during religious holidays. Due to structural concerns, visitor access to the top is currently closed.
Exhibition Centre2022
A small museum space within the mosque displaying Turkish handicrafts and artifacts that document Hungary's Ottoman past. The exhibition includes furnishings from the 16th century provided by Turkey.
Mosque Garden
A carefully maintained garden surrounding the mosque, regarded as a terrestrial representation of paradise. The plants and flowers reflect motifs common to both Hungarian and Turkish folk art and court decoration.
Contact
Téléphone: 06 20 400 9301