Moscheea Esmahan Sultan

The Esmahan Sultan Mosque in Mangalia is regarded as the oldest mosque in Romania, raised in 1575 at the initiative of Esmahan Sultan, daughter of Sultan Selim II. Built with stone taken from the ancient citadel of Callatis, it reflects the long Ottoman and Muslim presence on the Dobrogea coast. The interior preserves the atmosphere characteristic of an Islamic place of prayer, while the courtyard holds an old cemetery with funerary stones covered in inscriptions in the Arabic script.

The slender minaret and the discreet outline of the building blend into the urban landscape of Mangalia, a town with a long multicultural history. The monument stands as a witness to the religious tolerance that has marked Dobrogea over time. As a working place of worship, visitors are asked to respect the dress code and the quiet inside.