Religious tourism · Six countries
Discover mosques, tekkes and Islamic heritage sites across the Balkans. Explore their architecture, local stories and places in the life of each destination.
Explore the sitesIslam in the Balkans
Islam arrived in the Balkans with the Ottoman Empire in the 14th and 15th centuries and quickly became part of the region’s everyday life, shaping its cities, crafts, music and hospitality.
Ottoman builders gave the region its old bazaars, covered markets, fountains, hammams and stone bridges, with the mosque at the heart of each neighbourhood. In Sarajevo, the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque (1531) still anchors Baščaršija, while Mostar’s Old Bridge and the Dervish tekke at the spring of the Buna in Blagaj show how faith, architecture and landscape were designed to belong together.
Today Islam is the faith of most Bosniaks and Albanians and of communities in Montenegro, Serbia’s Sandžak, Croatia and Slovenia. It is a tradition known for its openness: Sufi lodges, Bektashi centres in Albania and mosques standing a few steps from churches and synagogues tell a story of neighbours who have long shared the same streets.
Ottoman old towns, the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque and the Old Bridge.
A 16th-century Dervish lodge beneath a cliff at the source of the Buna.
Albania’s historic mosques and the Et’hem Bey Mosque’s painted interior.
Places of faith. Stories of the region.
Make room for meaningful places
Combine sacred sites, city walks and cultural landmarks across the six countries. Tell us which traditions, places and stories you would like to explore.
Plan a Balkan journey15 published sites
Durres
The “Fatih” Mosque (also known as the Small Mosque or the Old Mosque) is one of the oldest monuments of Islamic worship in Albania and one of the main historical sites of the city of Durrës. It preserves great…
Gjirokastra
The Bazaar Mosque in Gjirokastër is one of the city's most important monuments and a symbol of the Ottoman heritage in Albania. Built in the mid-18th century by Memi Bey, it was erected in the center of the old bazaar…
Berat
The Hysen Pasha Mosque, also known as the Clock Mosque, is an important monument of Islamic heritage in Berat, built in 1670. It is notable for its elegant architecture, with a characteristic dome and artistic interior…
Delvina
The Delvina Mosque is located in the center of the city of Delvina and is one of the most important religious and historical monuments of the area. It dates back to the Ottoman period and was built in the…
Tirana
Mosque of Et'hem Bey is one of the most important historical and cultural monuments in the center of Tirana, built at the end of the 18th century and completed at the beginning of the 19th century. This mosque is known…
Tepelenë
Hasan Deda's Tekke is located in the village of Bënçë, in the district of Tepelena, and is one of the most important objects of the Bektashi faith in southern Albania. This tekke has a rich history and has played an…
Berat
The Helvetic Tekke in the Medieval Center of Berat is one of the most prominent monuments of Albanian cultural heritage. Originally built in the 15th century and rebuilt by Ahmet Kurt Pasha at the end of the 18th…
Berat
The King's Mosque is located in the Medieval Center complex. It was built by Sultan Bayezid II around 1480. The mosque consists of a minaret, a prayer hall and a portico. Each of the three sides has six windows, which…
Peqin
Built in 1666 by Abdurrahman Pasha, this mosque is a precious monument of the Ottoman period in Albania. With its characteristic architecture, it represents the classic Ottoman-Balkan style and for many years was the…
Tirana
The Namazgja Mosque is one of the most famous and historic mosques in Tirana, built in the early 20th century. It represents an example of Islamic architecture in Albania, with distinctive domes, minarets, and detailed…
Berat
The Red Mosque, described by the Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi as an old, lonely and strange building, is located near the walls of the acropolis in the Berat fortress and is preserved today in a state of ruins. It…
Roskovec
The Roskovec Mosque is located in the town of Roskovec, and represents the main religious institution of the Muslim community in the town. It is the place where residents perform daily prayers and religious rituals,…
