Karađoz Beg Mosque — Attraction in Mostar

The mosque is great,but it is only open at prayer times,which means that except for a few hours a day Muslims can only pray outside,on the carpet in front of the entrance (no joke!!),facing a closed door. Apart from charging everyone for going up the minaret (which is understandable), they charge non-muslims for ENTERING the mosque,and the fee is not that small. As a Muslim i wonder-how can that be?? Isn't God's house supposed to be open and at least always free of charge,for Muslims and non-Muslims alike (of course if they observe the proper rules of respect)? When i asked some lady outside why it is closed most of the time,she said there is no money to keep someone there at all times. So...one of the most famous and beautiful historical mosques in the whole of Bosnia goes as low as to charge non-Muslims JUST FOR GOING IN...but still, they cannot afford to keep a person there from dawn till night,for people who actually USE the place for its usual purpose? What's next,brothers and sisters? what will happen if business goes bad - you will start asking Muslims themselves to pay to enter your "museum" and pray? Honestly, I was sad and ashamed to see how people can turn a place of worship of God into yet another tourist trap...first time i see this in the Muslim world,and hopefully the last...good luck with your...

Here is a suggestion on how to spend a day in Mostar: After meal at "Tima-Irma", drink coffee and juice at "Café de Alma", then climb the "Zvonik mira" and enjoy both the inside of the bell tower and the wonderful view of Mostar, walk to Zrinjevac Park, then to Spanish Square, and along the way see the murals around the former "Staklena Banka" building. There, near the square, is the wonderful building of the Old Gymnasium, formerly Aleksa Šantić's Gymnasium. Grab a bite to eat at the Škoro bakery, then walk to the "Bišćević House", an old Ottoman house, and then to the Aleksa Šantić Park. Take a boat ride under the Old Bridge. You can also stop by the Old Bridge Museum, located in the Tara tower complex next to the Old Bridge, and have lunch at the Taurus Tavern. And at Fortica (take a taxi), in addition to walking on the glass bridge, you can enjoy the excellent "kureljača" and the even better "smokvara", Herzegovinian specialties.:) Then again coffee at "Caffe Šećerlook", with a view of...

In the surrounding of this beautiful mosque is a tall, beautiful tree. I, along with my spouse were resting there when we were greeted by a young, smiling man. He introduced himself as Yusuf and as the Imam of the mosque, . We had a long and passionate discussion with him regarding the history and geopolitics related to Bosnie-Herzégonia. He speaks wonderful English and is very amicable. He even took us inside the mosque and explained to us all the minute details. The mosque is exquisite from inside as much as it is from the outside. Especially, the paintings on the walls and the verses from Quran, in a beautiful calligraphy mesmerised us. In the end, he also recommended us a local dessert named Smokvara (fig and whole wheat flour), to be tried in a restaurant (Ascinica Saray) just adjacent to the mosque....