Banya Bashi
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Visit

Banya Bashi is open to visitors throughout the year.

📍Address
Knyaginya Maria Luiza Blvd., Sofia, Bulgaria

Getting there

Banya Bashi is right in the centre of Sofia, on Knyaginya Maria Luiza Boulevard, next to the Central Mineral Baths.1 It is a few minutes’ walk from Serdika metro station.

When to come

  • Tourists and other visitors can come at any time of year and at any hour, except just before and after the five daily prayers.2
  • Prayer times change from day to day. You can look them up on the Grand Mufti’s Office website.
  • On Fridays the midday Friday prayer (jumuʿa) fills the mosque, so if you are coming as a tourist it is better to pick another time.
  • In 2018 visitors could also have a talk with a guide every day except Thursday and Sunday, between 10 am and 4 pm.2 For groups, or to check the current times, please get in touch with the Regional Mufti’s Office (details below).

Inside the mosque

Mosques ask visitors to keep to a few simple rules.

  • Wear modest clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. Women are asked to cover their hair with a scarf.
  • Take your shoes off before you step into the prayer hall.
  • Keep your voice down, and don’t walk directly in front of anyone who is praying.
  • You are welcome to take photos as long as you do so respectfully. Please don’t use a flash or take close-ups of people at prayer.

Groups and questions

For group visits and any other questions, contact the Regional Mufti’s Office in Sofia. You’ll find it at 27 Maria Luiza Blvd., floor 1. You can call +359 2 987 72 63 or write to rm.sofia@grandmufti.bg.3

Footnotes

  1. Sefer Hasanov, “Kadı Seyfullah Efendi Camii”, TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, suppl. vol. 1, pp. 699–701. https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/kadi-seyfullah-efendi-camii ↩

  2. Grand Mufti’s Office of Bulgaria, “Стотици хора посетиха столичната джамия „Баня баши“ в рамките на Европейски дни на наследството 2018” (Hundreds visited Banya Bashi during European Heritage Days 2018), 17 September 2018. https://www.grandmufti.bg/bg/up-to-date/novini/6545-stotitzi-hora-posetiha-stolichnata-dzhamiya-banya-bashi-v-ramkite-na-evropeiski-dni-na-nasledstvoto-2018.html ↩ ↩2

  3. Grand Mufti’s Office of Bulgaria, “Районно мюфтийство – София” (Regional Mufti’s Office, Sofia). https://www.grandmufti.bg/bg/za-nas/raionni-myuftiistva/rm-sofiya.html ↩