About Sights – The Orta Mosque in Batumi

The Orta Mosque (Georgian: ორთა ჯამე) in the city of Batumi on Georgia’s Black Sea coast was commissioned by Aslan Beg Khimshiashvili, a Muslim Georgian nobleman in 1886, and is one of the finest examples of Islamic art in Ajara. The mosque is popularly known as the “Jamia in the middle” for it once stood in … Continue reading

About Sights – 19th Century Mosques in Ajara

Ajara (Georgian: აჭარა) is an autonomous republic of Georgia located in the southwestern corner of the country, bordered by Turkey to the south and the eastern end of the Black Sea. According to 2006 estimates by the Department of Statistics of Ajara, 30% of Ajara’s population are Muslim. Islam spread to Ajara as a consequence of the Ottoman Empire’s occupation … Continue reading