Bulgaria's Deputy Chief Mufti Demands 2nd Sofia Mosque

Sofia's Banya Bashi mosque is famous for its large dome, diameter of 15 meters, and the minaret rising upward to the sky. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

Bulgaria's Deputy Chief Mufti, Murat Pingov, has renewed calls for the construction of a second mosque in the capital Sofia.

The city's sole mosque, Banya Bashi, has a crack in its dome that grew bigger after the 5.8-6 magnitude earthquake that rattled Sofia on May 22.

The Sofia City Hall has ordered an experts' report that would determine whether the building is safe.

However, the mosque cannot be closed for repair works, as the praying Muslims would have nowhere else to go, Pingov has told Darik radio.

The Banya Bashi Mosque (Banya Ba?? Camii) is a remnant of the Ottoman rule of Bulgaria that lasted nearly five centuries, and is used by the city's Muslim community. It is designed by famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan and has the status of cultural monument.

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