[wzslider autoplay=”true”]During the last few days, Ferhadija Mosque in the City of Banja Luka has been acquiring back its original appearance, and the final interior works have begun being finalized. Decoration of the harem of the mosque has been completed, and the central dome has been painted.
The central chandelier, as well as smaller chandeliers on the other domes, is being installed. The official opening for the mosque is planned for the summer of 2015.
Ferhat Pasha’s mosque was destroyed on May 7th, 1993, after 414 years of existence. Following its destruction, its remains were disposed of in a garbage dump. Ferhadija Mosque was one of 16 mosques in Banja Luka destroyed due to ethnic war aggression in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 to 1995.
The mosque’s restoration was initiated by the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2001. When groups of Muslims attempted to lay the foundation stone for the Ferhadija Mosque in Banja Luka, hundreds of Serbian extremists assaulted the groups in protest, resulting in 1 person killed and dozens suffering injuries. During that day, the ethnic violence targeting Muslims hadn’t been experienced since the end of the war in Bosnia.
Ferhadija was built in 1579, and represented one of the most successful architectural creations stemming from the Ottoman period. It was included in the cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and later to the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
One of the largest donors of its construction was TIKA (Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency), as well as many individual donors, individuals, and believers.
Following the end of the aggression in Bosnia and Herzegovina, May 7th has come to be commemorated as the Day of Mosques.
(Source: novovrijeme.ba/photo nap)
