Great Mahmudiye Mosque

A landmark of the Turkish role in the region, the Great Mahmudiye Mosque (known also as Carol I Mosque) of Constanţa was built between 1910-1912, during the reign of King Carol I, as a copy of Konieh Mosque (Anatolia - Turkey), unique in the whole Dobrudja area. The faithful name it "Kral camisi" or "Geamia Regelui" (King's Mosque).


The mosque is the first building in Romania made of reinforced concrete, by engineer Gogu Constantinescu and architect Victor Ştefănescu. It is designed in Egyptian-Byzantine style, with some Romanian architectural features, making it one of the most distinctive mosques in the area. It features a 50 meter high minaret, built in Moorish style, which offers a stunning view of the old downtown and harbor. Five times a day, the muezzin climbs 140 steps to the top of the minaret to call the faithful to prayer.


The mosque is the seat of the Mufti, the spiritual leader of the 55,000 Muslims (Turks and Tatars by origin) who live along the coast of the Dobrudja region. The centerpiece of the interior is a large Persian carpet, over 200 years old, a gift from Sultan Abdul Hamid. Handmade woven at the Hereche Handicraft Center in Turkey, it is one of the largest carpets in Europe (9x16m), weighing 500 kg. The Carol I Mosque in Constanţa is the center of Islam in Romania