Big Khan Mosque

The Big Khan Mosque
Religion
Affiliation	Islam
Rite	Sunni
Status	Active
Location
Location	Bakhchisaray
Territory	AR Crimea (de jure) Republic of Crimea (de facto)
Geographic coordinates	44°44′55.22″N 33°52′55.06″E
Architecture
Type	Mosque
Style	Ottoman architecture
Completed	1532
Specifications
Minaret(s)	2
Minaret height	28 meters
Materials	...

The Big Khan Mosque (Crimean Tatar: Büyük Han Cami, Ukrainian: Велика ханська мечеть, Russian: Большая ханская мечеть, Turkish: Büyük Han Camii) is located in Bakhchisaray, Crimea, and is part of the Bakhchisaray Palace. It is one of the largest mosques in the Crimea and one of the first buildings of the Khan's palace. The mosque was built in 1532 by Sahib I Giray and bore his name in the 17th century.

History

The mosque consists of a three-aisle square prayer hall covered with a hipped roof, a narthex and porticos facing east and west. Two symmetrical octagonal minarets rise through the porticos; they are twenty-eight meters high and have conical caps and finials. A domed wudu kiosk of square shape is attached to the northeastern corner of the mosque. It is believed that a madrasah built by Khan Arslan Giray in 1750 used to adjoin the eastern wall. The mosque is entered from a portal facing north. Inside, a balcony is attached to three of the four walls, part of which is sectioned off for the Khan's lodge. Scholars argue that the mosque was originally roofed with domes of various sizes.

In 1736 the mosque was damaged by fire and later restored during the reign of Khan Selameta Giray.

See also

• Religion in Crimea
• List of mosques in Europe