Imaret - Ecclesiastical Museum of Komotini

Komotini Museum

One of the oldest surviving Ottoman monuments in Europe. It was built on top of a Christian church and today, it hosts an Ecclesiastical Museum.

A picture showing the exterior of the Imaret building of Komotini.
photo: Ggia / CC BY-SA 3.0

The Imaret of Komotini was built by the Ottoman conqueror Gazi Achmet Evrenos and it is dated between 1360 and the end of the 14th century. According to folk beliefs and the local tradition, Imaret was built at the ruins of an Orthodox church of Agia Sofia that was located at the same spot.

The building was used in multiple ways during the centuries. It was part of the walled city that existed there in the 19th century however when the city was conquered by the Bulgarians it was converted into a Christian church. From that period, letters of the Cyrillic alphabet are still preserved at the door on the arch.

In 1924 the facility was used as part of an ice-making factory complex while some spaces were used until 1973 by the electricity company of Komotini.

Today the Imaret houses the ecclesiastical museum, with exhibits like icons, vestments, artifacts, manuscripts, and many other items from the religious tradition and ritual of the orthodox church.

About Imaret - Ecclesiastical Museum of Komotini

Last updated: 4 Sep 2020

Location
address El. Venizelou, Komotini, 691 00, Greece
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