The Emperor’s Mosque in Sarajevo, built in 1457 in honor of Sultan Mehmed II Fatih, is one of the earliest mosques in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the first in Sarajevo.
This historic mosque played a pivotal role in the city’s early development, with the first settlements and the Sultan’s representative residence emerging around it. Isa-bey, the mosque’s founder, also constructed a hammam and a bridge that originally led directly to the mosque.
During the Austro-Hungarian period, the bridge was dismantled and moved a few meters upstream, where it still stands today. Isa-bey also built the Kolobara-han caravanserai on the other side of the river, financed through his endowment of shops and land.
Originally built of wood, the mosque was reconstructed in 1566, funded by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, after the original was destroyed by fire in 1480. The design is attributed to a student of the renowned architect Mimar Sinan.
Over the centuries, the mosque has undergone various renovations and expansions, including the addition of side rooms in 1800 and the conservation of its interior decorations between 1980 and 1983.
Despite damage during World War II and the 1990s conflict, the mosque has been restored and stands as a testament to Sarajevo’s rich history.
Its graveyard contains the tombs of notable figures, including Isa-bey Ishaković, the city’s founder.
The mosque, with its classic Ottoman architecture, stunning octagonal minaret, and historical bridge nearby, has been declared a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
