Kariye Mosque

A commemorative plaque with information about the construction of the mosque is placed above the entrance door of the mosque. The plaque is inscribed in calligraphic script, in Arabic and Ottoman Turkish:

From the accursed Satan I took refuge in God. In the name of the compassionate and merciful God.
Enter in peace - safe! (Quran 15:46)
built in 1835 by the deceased Dilawer Pasha
Royal Kariye Mosque

The construction of the building is massive with bearing brick walls. The mezzanine floor and roof structures are wooden. The main building is two-storied, with vaulted windows characteristic of oriental architecture, with a pointed segmental arch. Much of the original woodwork has been preserved, repeating the specific shape of the openings. To the north-west there is a one-storied body with a dome, serving as a vestibule, which was originally most probably uncovered. In the southern direction, there was another property that formed the corner between "Dunav" and "Tsaribrod" streets, with a building that was later demolished. Thus, the view of the mosque from the south is formed by the shield left after the demolition. The former plot has now been added to the space on "Tsaribrod" street. On it is a late two-storey extension. The southern part of the building is distinguished from the northern part by the absence of a cornice and simplified window profiles. On the facade, part of the original joinery was replaced, and the preserved one was duplicated with PVC.

The building is a rare and valuable representative of religious Muslim architecture from the end of the 19th century - the beginning of the 20th century in Varna. The design of the facades is characterized by a mixture of neoclassical elements and an oriental decorative style.

A detailed study and documentation of the building, its original structure and the transformations that have occurred over time, as well as an assessment of the typological characteristics and its historical significance, is necessary.

The building does not participate in the composition of the small square formed by the intersection of "Dunav", "Tsaribrod" and "Gabrovo" streets. Its urban planning significance is only in terms of shaping the skyline along "Dunav" Street.

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