Kursum Mosque
In the heart of Kastoria’s historic center lies a distinctive monument: Kursum Mosque is the only survivor of the city’s seven Ottoman mosques and an archetypal exhibit of Islamic architecture. Scholars believe it was built in the early 15th century, atop the foundations of an earlier Byzantine church. The prayer hall is unified, with a domed roof in muqarnas style (carved geometric forms) showcasing the craftsmen’s skill. On the southeast side, the mihrab whose niche indicates Mecca survives, along with traces of the minbar, the imam’s pulpit. The minaret at the western corner, remains without its crowning top, yet its interior—of 63 stone steps spiraling around a central axis—impresses with its precision. Declared a listed monument in 1924, the mosque has served many purposes: a soup kitchen during WWII, later a library, and, until recently, a storage space for the Archaeological Service. Today, restoration works by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Kastoria are breathing new life into a building that connects multiple eras, cultures, and religions.
