Mausoleum of Idris Baba

The Mausoleum of Idris Baba is one of two Muslim shrines preserved in Hungary. It is located in the small town of Pecs, which is popularly called an open-air museum. There are many attractions here, so travelers are better off coming here for a few days.

History of the Idris Baba Mausoleum

Turbe in the Muslim tradition is the tomb of a famous spiritual leader or noble person. Often such burials became places of pilgrimage for Muslims. Typically, such a mausoleum was installed on the territory adjacent to the mosque. There is practically no information about who is buried in this tomb. There is only a name - Idris Baba, it is believed that this is a Muslim saint who could perform many miracles during his life.

Adding the word “baba” to a Muslim name means that this is a respected person, a wise or elderly man, a spiritual teacher. The word can also mean “founder of the clan”, “ancestor”, “elder”.

Continuing the topic

A reasonable question arises - how did the Muslim mausoleum of Idris Baba appear on the territory of a European state where the Christian religion predominates? The fact is that from 1543 to 1686 this region of Hungary was under the rule of the Ottoman Turks. Christian churches were then converted into mosques. The city acquired oriental features. During the 143 years of Muslim rule, many buildings of Turkish architecture were built. Obviously, for the burial of the deceased respected devout Muslim, who was revered by the Turks as a holy man and whose name was Idris Baba, the mausoleum of the same name was built.

Architecture of the Mausoleum of Idris Baba

According to historians, the mausoleum in Pech was built in 1591; it is a traditional turbe small single-chamber octagonal tower covered with a dome. The width of the structure is 6 m, the height together with the dome is 8.5 m. The windows are on two levels: the upper ones are round, below them are square, with an imitation of an arch in the form of a Muslim turban. The entrance to the Mausoleum of Idris Baba was initially walled up. The new entrance appeared after the reconstruction of the burial at the end of the 17th century. It is interesting that the opening was made in the Gothic style, and in the 18th century the mausoleum building housed a chapel, and then a gunpowder magazine.

Mausoleum of Idris Baba today

After 1912, when the burial place of Idris Baba was discovered, the restoration of the mausoleum began. In 1961, the architectural structure was recognized as a historical monument, after which it was completely restored. The Turkish government donated a grave monument, a prayer rug and traditional ritual fabrics for the türbe. Today, the mausoleum of Idris Baba is a Muslim shrine and a significant architectural monument. Tourists can only view the building from the outside.