The Bajrakli Mosque, the minaret over Peja's bazaar

Somewhere in central Peja the low shopfronts of the bazaar open out and a white minaret appears, with grey lead domes behind it. That is the Bajrakli Mosque, and for me it is the best place to start making sense of the Ottoman side of the town, which is far more than a backdrop for photos.

What the official record says

The Kosovo Cultural Heritage Database (DTK), maintained by the Ministry of Culture, lists the Bajrakli xhamia in Peja town as an Ottoman architectural monument of the 16th century, under temporary protection. That is not much text, but it is the only solid information I have, and I would rather stop there than repeat founding dates or builders’ names that do the rounds without a source.

On OpenStreetMap the bazaar mosque sits at the top of Qarshija e Gjatë, the long street of the old market, now pedestrianised. That places it right where Peja’s shopping streets meet the café terraces of the square, and makes it the obvious landmark to arrange to meet someone in the old town.

One mosque among several

What I like about Peja is that the Bajrakli is not on its own. The same database lists, in the centre, the Hamam and Taftali mosques, both 16th century, the 17th-century Xhylfahatun Mosque, the 19th-century Xhamia e Deçanit and the tomb of Halil Bey beside the 16th-century Kushumli Mosque. Together they make up an old quarter you can walk in a morning. For how they compare with Prizren, Gjakova and Pristina, see mosques in Kosovo.

The census explains why they feel so lived in. The Kosovo Agency of Statistics counted 1,482,276 Muslims among the 1,585,566 people enumerated in 2024. These are neighbourhood places of worship with regular congregations, not museums, and that shapes how you visit. You go in when the neighbourhood allows, not when your itinerary says so.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Peja for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.

Visiting with good manners

No official source I could read publishes visiting hours. So I apply the rule for any working mosque, which is to go outside prayer times, avoid Friday lunchtime, take your shoes off at the entrance, wear clothes that don’t draw attention and, for women, carry a scarf in case you are asked to cover your hair. If the door is shut, ask around politely rather than trying it. Photographs of the outside from the street are never a problem; inside, ask first and keep the flash off.

Where to go next

From the door, carry on through the Peja bazaar to Haxhi Zeka square and the river. With the old town done, the natural next step is west to the Patriarchate of Peć, then up the first stretch of the Rugova Canyon in the afternoon. How I’d split it over two days is in my guide to Peja.

So you do not lose the morning at the ticket office, browse tickets and tours in Bajrakli Mosque on GetYourGuide.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Peja for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.