Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque

In the heart of Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, stands this beautiful mosque built almost 500 years ago by an Ottoman governor named Gazi Husrev-beg. He loved his city so much that he used his own wealth to build a mosque, a school, a fountain, and a library — all in one neighborhood.

The mosque has a tall, thin minaret and a peaceful courtyard with a wooden fountain where Muslims wash before prayer. Pigeons love to sit on the fountain's wooden roof, and you can hear them coo while you do wudu.

Bosnia is in the middle of Europe, but it has been Muslim for over 500 years. Bosnians faced many hard times — including a terrible war in the 1990s — but their mosques, faith, and warm hearts have stayed strong.

If you visit on a quiet morning, the smell of fresh Bosnian coffee from the street, the call to prayer floating over the rooftops, and the gentle pigeons all together feel like a hug from the Muslim history of Europe.