Kvirike Mosque
| Kvirike Mosque | |
|---|---|
კვირიკეს ჯამე | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Friday mosque |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Kvirike, Kobuleti Municipality, Adjara |
| Country | Georgia |
Shown within Adjara | |
Interactive map of Kvirike Mosque | |
| Coordinates | 41°45′58″N 41°50′18″E / 41.76611°N 41.83833°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque |
| Style | |
| Completed | 1861 |
| Specifications | |
| Minaret | 1 (demolished 1920s) |
| Materials | Timber |
The Kvirike Mosque (Georgian: კვირიკეს ჯამე, romanized: k'virik'es jame) is a Friday mosque in Kvirike, Adjara, an autonomous entity in southwest Georgia. Completed in 1861, it is one of the oldest surviving mosques in Adjara. The building is abundantly adorned with decorative wooden carvings.[1] The mosque is inscribed on the list of the Immovable Cultural Monuments of National Significance of Georgia.[2]
Overview
The Kvirike Mosque stands in the center of the eponymous village in Adjara's coastal Kobuleti Municipality. It was built by a Laz craftsman from Arhavi in 1277 AH (1860/1861 CE), when the area was part of the Ottoman Empire. Like other early mosques in Adjara, Kvirike's layout blends the Ottoman influences with Georgian vernacular architectural elements of local villages. The mosque had a minaret and madrasa, both demolished by the Soviet authorities in the 1920s. Both external and internal walls as well as the mihrab, minbar, columns, and balcony, bear original elaborate incised woodwork. The mosque does not have a full dome but a recess with an inset carved medallion. The mosque was renovated in 2013 and is functional, reserved for Friday or holiday services.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b Harris-Brandts, Suzanne; Wheeler, Angela; Shioshvili, Vladimer (2018). The wooden mosques of Adjara: Islamic architectural heritage in Georgia (PDF). p. 154. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 28, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- ^ "List of Immovable Cultural Monuments" (PDF) (in Georgian). National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia. Retrieved July 3, 2019.