To spot the Karađoz Bey Mosque, look straight ahead for a grand stone building boasting a large rounded dome and a tall, slender minaret pointing high into the sky.
Imagine you’re in Mostar in the 16th century-the scent of fresh stone dust in the air as artisans, perhaps even under the eye of the master architect Mimar Sinan, put the finishing touches on a new mosque. This isn’t just any mosque; Mehmed Beg built it with the hope that its dome would touch the heavens and its minaret would be the tallest in town, standing at a dramatic 34.5 meters. Can you see those arches and the double portico outside? Those sheltered worshippers from sun and rain, as merchants shuffled by with their donkeys. Over centuries, this mosque has watched Mostar’s fortunes rise and fall-surviving even the chaos of World War II and heartbreak during the Bosnian War, when it was nearly lost to rubble. But like any great star of history, the Karađoz Bey Mosque made its comeback with a shiny renovation in 2004, its dome once again gleaming in the sunshine. So, take a look-you're standing before a survivor, a monument to faith, and the heart of the neighborhood.
