Omar Efendi Mosque
The former mosque and current monument is located within the Historic Centre of Sheki with the Khan’s Palace, a 120 ha (300-acre) UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019.
History
Built in the 19th century, the Omar Efendi Mosque has retained its original appearance. After the Soviet occupation, the mosque's edifice was used as a warehouse. After 1950, the mosque resumed its activity. In 1986, the mosque burned down as a result of a natural disaster. In 1987, at the initiative of Juma Mosque's imam of Sheki, Haji Selim Efendi, as well as with the help of the donations made by the local residents, the mosque was renovated and restored.
The religious community of the Omar Efendi Mosque in Sheki was officially registered by the State Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan for work with religious associations.
Description and architecture
The Omar Efendi Mosque has a rectangular shape. The brick cornice on the facade, as well as the walls between the windows, decorated with slightly protruding thin patterns, complement its architectural appearance.
The area of the mosque is 105 m (1,130 sq ft), the territory of the adjacent plot is 525 m (5,650 sq ft). Local building materials such as pebbles and burnt bricks were used in the construction of the mosque. The roof is covered with iron sheets, the floor and the ceiling are made of wood.
There is an open balcony in the front of the mosque's entrance door. The worshipers perform the ablution in the pool located in the courtyard of the mosque, and then go to the spacious and bright hall to pray. The main prayer hall has 14 windows. In the front of the main prayer hall is an even larger prayer room, with a total area of 80 m (860 sq ft), 45 of which are given to women, and the rest is used as a corridor.
The minbar (tribune) of the mosque is made of wood and is decorated with elegant hand-made designs. The height of the mihrab, decorated with floral ornaments, is 3 m (9.8 ft).
The mosque's 14 m (46 ft)-high minaret is also built of burnt bricks, and has a rounded shape. The brick patterns of the minaret, which is part of the main complex of the mosque, emphasize the skill of the master bricklayer.
Gallery
See also
References
- ^ "Ömər Əfəndi məscidi". sheki.heritage.org.az (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 13 March 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- ^ "Şəkinin mədəni-tarixi abidələri" [Cultural and historical monuments of Sheki]. anl.az (in Azerbaijani). 24 October 2013. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
- ^ "Религиозные общества" (in Azerbaijani). Министерство культуры и туризма Азербайджанской Республики. Archived from the original on 19 July 2013.
- ^ Ali, Orkhan (27 April 2012). "İbadət evləri: hansı rayonda necə məscid var? - V YAZI". modern.az (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
- ^ Azərbaycan Respublikası Məscidlərinin Ensiklopediyası (PDF) (in Azerbaijani). Baku: Beynəlxalq Əlhuda. 2001. p. 297. ISBN 964-8121-59-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2021.
External links
Media related to Omar Efendi mosque at Wikimedia Commons
