Pasha Yakovalı Hasan Mosque

The Pasha Yakovalı Hasan Mosque is a small 16th-century Ottoman mosque in the lower part of the old town, and unlike the larger Qasim Mosque on Széchenyi Square, it has been restored to reflect its original Muslim character rather than converted to Christian use. The dome, the minaret, and the bare interior with its mihrab niche and minimal decoration create a contemplative space of considerable dignity.

The mosque sits in a small garden enclosure, and the contrast between the simplicity of the Ottoman interior and the Baroque city around it is striking. It is now maintained as a museum and is open to visitors. Allow about 20 minutes; the site is smaller than the Qasim Mosque but more coherently preserved as what it was. The two mosques together make Pécs unique in Central Europe.

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A story
The mosque is the only surviving Ottoman building in Hungary that still has its minaret intact and functioning in its original form. When the Austrians reconquered Pécs in 1686, most of the city's mosques and minarets were demolished or converted. The Yakovalı Hasan mosque survived because it was used as a stable and granary for several decades — considered too useful to pull down — and by the time its original character was recognized, enough of it remained to be worth preserving.

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