Batumi Orta Jame Mosque

In the historical part of Batumi, there is the Orta Jame Mosque, the only functioning Muslim shrine in the city and an important spiritual center for the significant Muslim community of Adjara. Its name, derived from the Turkish word “orta” (“middle”), recalls the time when it was built – in 1886 – between two other mosques, Azize Jame and Ahmed Pasha Jame, which have not survived to this day. The construction of the mosque was initiated and financed by the influential Khimshiashvili family of Georgian Muslim nobles.

Externally, the mosque is a two-story rectangular white building, typical of late Ottoman provincial architecture. Its appearance is decorated with a high minaret and a large gilded dome, which are visible from afar. Inside, the mosque, despite the simplicity of the decoration, has a special atmosphere. The original wooden patterns and ornaments on the balconies and railings, made in the traditions of Georgian wooden architecture, have been preserved. The ceiling and dome are decorated with colorful paintings created by skilled artists from Lazistan - a historical region in the northeast of modern Turkey.

The fate of the Orta Jame Mosque reflects the difficult history of the 20th century. During the Soviet period, from 1932 to 1946, it was closed and even used as an ammunition depot during World War II. After returning to believers in 1946, the mosque was repeatedly restored, and in the 1990s, a minaret was added or restored.

Today, Orta Jame is not only a place for prayers and religious holidays, but also an educational center: the mosque has a school for children where they study the Koran and the history of Islam. This is a cozy and quiet place, open to all comers, and is an important symbol of Batumi's religious and cultural diversity.