The Ballie Mosque, built in 1608 in the center of the city of Elbasan, razed by the communist regime and rebuilt in 2022, has been included among the five most beautiful religious buildings in the world, on the list of the “ArchDaily” platform. With this assessment, Elbasan and Albania become part of the global map of religious architecture, showing that such works are not only an example of art and culture, but also an opportunity to further promote tourism.
The Ballie Mosque in Elbasan has been selected as one of the five most beautiful religious buildings in the world and has been nominated for the prestigious “Building of the Year 2025” award by “ArchDaily”, a renowned online platform in the field of architecture. This assessment is an important recognition for contemporary Albanian architecture, placing Elbasan on the global map of architecture, especially with religious buildings, Albanian media report.
The Ballie Mosque is notable for its innovative design, which skillfully combines Islamic tradition with modern elements, creating a unique space for believers and visitors. With this recognition, Elbasan and Albania become part of the global map of religious architecture, showing that such works are not only an example of art and culture, but also an opportunity to further promote tourism and the country's historical and cultural values.
"It is very good news that not only the citizens of Elbasan but all of Albania enjoy. Elbasan is a city of values, it has a castle, a mosque and a church. In particular, this mosque where we are today makes us happy. It is an old mosque, in its foundations even though it was demolished by the communist regime, but the Muslim community managed to rebuild it. The Ballia Mosque has had a long history, someone wanted to build it with that structure, but we agreed that it should be built between classical and modern. We hope that as many tourists as possible will visit it, we hope that there will be growing interest", Agim Duka, the mufti of Elbasan, is quoted as saying.
The Ballie Mosque was built by Hasan Balliu in 1608 in the center of the city of Elbasan. The communist regime in 1967 ordered its demolition. In 2022, the Ballie Mosque was rebuilt on the same foundations, but much more magnificent than the old one. The project was carried out by “Commonsense Studio” and the most attractive element of the mosque is the minaret that competed with all the others with its original decorative design.
The designers of this project, according to the explanation, have taken care to combine elements of modern architecture with the spiritual tradition of the Islamic faith. The innovative design skillfully combines Islamic tradition, creating a unique and inspiring space.
"The Ballie Mosque has essentially had an architectural approach to an inspiring space for believers in developing their relationship with God. Time is a very important concept in the Islamic faith and this has been one of our essential points in developing the entire concept. We wanted to interpret time through some of its elements as light entering the space of prayer, as an indicator of the passage of time and an invitation to understand ourselves in relation to time," architect Jurtij Hajro is quoted as saying. According to him, they also aimed to show the dimension of time in the materials that shape the mosque.
"For example, the use of copper, which over time turns into a more dignified material, or the use of stone and wood, which maintain their dignity over time and have a long lifespan. I think these concepts have influenced the selection among the five best in the category of cult objects," said Hajro.
