After more than ten years of hard work, Tombul mosque was restored to its former glory from the time when it was built – 1744. The architecture of the mosque in Shumen was influenced by the Oriental style “tulip” with elements of the French baroque.
The biggest mosque in this country was built on donations by Halil Şerif Pasha from the village of Madara near Shumen, and so bears his name. Legend has it that Halil Şerif Pasha built the mosque out of remorse for having treated his own father badly - who died not long after.
The mosque’s domed roof was once one of a kind. Ninety-nine spiraling steps lead up to the 40-metre minaret, and its supporting pillars are actually the columns from the palace of the first Bulgarian Khans in Pliska. Tombul mosque is on the Bulgarian Tourist Union’s 100 national tourists sites.
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Compiled by Diana Tsankova
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