Located in the historic heart of Bitola, the Yeni Mosque is one of the most impressive monuments from the Ottoman period in the city. It was built in 1558–1559 by Qadi Mehmed Efendi, a Bitola judge from the mid-16th century, and to this day it remains a place where architecture and art speak in a quiet yet powerful voice.
Yeni Mosque and Pekmez Market photographed around 1915.
Although smaller in size than the nearby Ishak Mosque, the Yeni Mosque stands out for its exceptionally rich and rare interior. At the entrance portal, visitors can see finely crafted faience tiles of unique artistic quality, believed to originate from the Far East—a true rarity among mosques in the Balkans.
The interior leaves a particularly strong impression. The minbar and the corners of the walls are decorated with delicately carved stalactite-like elements, most likely created by master craftsmen from Istanbul. The calligraphic decorations, executed with remarkable precision and elegance, carry deep symbolism. Every line and every sign is a stylized visual interpretation of verses from the Qur’an, similar to those found in the most prominent mosques of the Ottoman capital.
In more recent history, the Yeni Mosque gained a new cultural role when its interior was adapted into an art gallery.
During archaeological research, an important discovery was made: the mosque was built on the foundations of the medieval Church of St. George. After the excavations were completed, the remains of the church were conserved and protected with a glass structure, allowing visitors to view this rare historical layer directly. Some of these remains are also visible in the landscaped outdoor area around the building.
Today, the Yeni Mosque is more than a religious monument. It is a place where different civilizations, beliefs, and artistic expressions intertwine—a quiet yet powerful stop on every visitor’s journey through the centuries of Bitola.
