The Imperial Mosque — Xhamia e Mbretit in Albanian — stands on Skanderbeg Square in the centre of Pristina and is one of the most visible Ottoman monuments in the city. It was built in the 16th century, probably during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, and its single minaret has been a feature of the Pristina skyline for over four hundred years.
The mosque was damaged and used as a weapons depot during the communist period, when religion was suppressed and religious buildings repurposed. After the restoration of religious freedom and the 1999 war, it was renovated and returned to active use. The renovation is respectful, and the building now gives a good sense of Ottoman religious architecture — modest from outside, with an interior characterised by the quality of its calligraphic inscriptions.
The location on Skanderbeg Square, in the heart of the city, makes it easy to combine with a walk along Mother Teresa Boulevard. Non-Muslim visitors are welcome outside prayer times; remove your shoes at the entrance.