The story of Šarena Mosque

More than 30,000 eggs went into the paint and glaze of the decorations you see on these walls. The Šarena Mosque, whose name means the Decorated or Painted Mosque, was first built in 1438, before the conquest of Constantinople, so it resembles the traditional mosques of Anatolia and has no prominent outer dome. Unusually, it was not paid for by a sultan or a pasha but by two sisters from Tetovo, Hurshida and Mensure.

They rest in the octagonal türbe in the courtyard, among flowers and a fountain. In 1833 Abdurrahman Pasha, a great lover of art who was fond of Tetovo, rebuilt the mosque and brought masters from Debar to paint it in oils. Instead of the usual ceramic tiles, you will find bright floral paintings, geometric patterns and even landscapes.

Look for the depiction of Mecca, a rare and perhaps unique example in southeast Europe. The façade was restored in 2011 with a grant from the United States.