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West of Tsar Osvoboditel the broad asphalt sweep of ul. Rakovski - subsequently ul. Doiran - cuts past two impressive relics of Ottoman Shumla. Sheltering beneath chestnut trees is the Bezisten , or covered market, built to cater for the needs of Dubrovnik merchants who established a trading post here in the sixteenth century. Constructed from heavy blocks of stone retrieved from the ruins of Pliska and Preslav, it's now closed, and in need of repair. Dominating the skyline to the west are the proud minaret and bulbous domes of Shumen's main sight, the Tombul Dzhamiya (daily 9am-noon & 2-5pm; free). Built in 1744 on the initiative of Sherif Halil Pasha, a native of Shumen who rose to become deputy grand vizier in Constantinople, the complex aimed to meet both the spiritual and educational needs of the community. A mektep , or "primary school", occupied the east wing, while a medrese (Koranic school) and kitaphane (library) surrounded the cloistered courtyard to the east. This is dominated by the shadirvan or "fountain", an eclectic structure mixing Moorish arches with classical, Corinthian pillars. Inside the prayer hall, carpets cover the floor beneath a dome decorated with floral swirls and paintings of the great mosques of the Middle East. Upstairs, a balustraded balcony provides segregated accommodation for female members of the congregation. The mosque was converted into a museum during the Communist era, but has now reverted to its original role, for the benefit of Shumen's considerable Islamic community. The city is once more an important religious centre for the Muslims of northeast Bulgaria, with believers from far and wide annually descending on the Tombul Dzhamiya to celebrate Kurban Bayram , one of the major festivals of the Islamic calendar.
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