Juma Mosque (Tbilisi)

Juma Mosque (Georgian: ქართული ტექსტი) is a mosque in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. It is the only mosque still working in the city. Both Sunni and Shia Muslims pray there together, which is rare. Location The mosque is in the Old Town of Tbilisi. It is near the Narikala Fortress, on Botanical Street. History Muslims have lived in Tbilisi for more than 1,000 years. The first mosque on this site was built in the 1700s by the Ottoman Empire. It was later destroyed during a war. A new mosque was built in the 1800s, and the current building was finished in 1895. A man from Azerbaijan named Zeynalabdin Taghiyev gave money to build it. The mosque was repaired in 1998. Design The mosque is made of red brick. It has a tall minaret (a tower) with eight sides. The building has arched windows and colorful decorations inside and outside. It mixes Islamic and European (Neo-Gothic) styles. Use Sunni and Shia Muslims both pray at the mosque. In the past, a curtain separated them. Since 1996, they pray in the same space. The mosque is busy on Fridays and during big Islamic holidays like Eid. Importance Juma Mosque is part of Tbilisi’s rich mix of religions. It stands near churches, synagogues, and bathhouses in the Old Town, showing the city’s long history of people from different faiths living together. References