Lead Mosque

**Juulirde Ardiiɗo** (Albani: Xhamia e Plumbit), anndiraande kadi juulirde Buşatlı Mehmet Pasha, ko juulirde taariinde to Shkodër, worgo-fuɗnaange Albani.

Nde ƴetti innde Juulirde Lead, sabu cupolaaji mayre fof ina njuɓɓinaa e lead.[1]

Tariya

Juulirde Lead ndee mahiraa ko e hitaande 1773 e juuɗe pasha Albaniijo biyeteeɗo Mehmed Bushati mo galle Bushati tedduɗo oo, mo wonnoo wiziir Pashalik mo Scutari e oon sahaa.[2] E nder ngool gollal, o anniyii rokkude wuro makko jibinannde, jikku laamorgo.[3] Ina wiyee wonde mahdi juulirde ndee mahiraa ko e leydi ndi eklesiya katolik jeyi.[4]

Mehmed Bushati ko kanko woni e mahngo ngoo, kaaƴe ina njuutee e les njiimaandi makko. Fotde ñalnde kala, omo jippoo e hoɗorde makko, hono galle Rozafa, ngam reende golle ɗee.[1]

Imaam gadano juulirde ndee ko Haxhi Ahmet Misria, jeyaaɗo Misra. O ari Albani ko caggal jokkondiral ngal o dañnoo e Mehmed Bushati. Caggal makko, Imaamuuji goɗɗi ina ngolloo kadi ina toppitii juulirde ndee.[1]Damages

The mosque with its minaret until 1967
During the 1900s, the mosque begun to be damaged and the lead that covered the cupolas was gradually stolen. In 1916, the remaining lead was removed by the Austrian army during the Austrian rule in Albania.[1]

In 1967, lightning destroyed its minaret, which had been previously reconstructed in 1920 by Xhelal Bushati, descendant of Mehmed Bushati.[5]

State atheism
In 1967, Lead Mosque was closed down, just like the other religious institutions, after the anti-religious communist leader Enver Hoxha declared Albania an atheist state. Unlike many mosques that were destroyed during this time, it survived from the communist regime, probably because it was declared a Cultural Monument in 1948.[1][2][5]

Post-Communism
On 16 November 1990, the Lead Mosque preceded other mosques in Albania to reopen when religion was again allowed in the country. The very first religious rally was held in this mosque by Hafiz Sabri Koçi, after 23 years oConstruction
The Lead Mosque has an Ottoman architecture, unlike most other mosques in Albania which follow Arab architecture.[2] The mosque closely mirrors the classical Ottoman architecture of Istanbul, Turkey, which was pioneered by architect Mimar Sinan of the 16th century.[3]

The mosque is built with hewn stones of almost the same size, which creates a pleasant construction symmetry. Stones were brought from the nearby village of Gur i Zi by people who aligned to each other over kilometers passing the stones to reach the construction point.[1]

Restoration
Flood damage in rainy seasons have resulted in damage to the Lead Mosque over time.[6] The mosque has been repaired numerous times during its lifetime: in 1863, 1920 and in 1963.[2] On 15 July 2021, the Albanian and Turkish governments funded restoration of the mosque.[6]

Gallery

 

 

 

 

See also
Islam in Albania
References
 Mirsad Sylja (20 August 2008). "Si po shkatërrohet "Xhamia e Plumbit", pasuria mbi 100-vjeçare" (in Albanian). peshku pa uje. Retrieved 23 July 2010. [dead link]
 Anila Dushi (22 July 2008). "Xhamia e plumbit po kalbet" (in Albanian). Shekulli. Archived from the original on 27 January 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
 "KATOLIKËT RESTAUROJNË XHAMINE E PLUMBIT" (in Albanian). Pajtimi. Retrieved 23 July 2010.