Tatar mosque, Bohoniki, Poland

The second mosque located on the “Tatar Trail” of the Podlaskie Voivodeship, much younger than the mosque in Kruszyniany, built in 1873. The temple that was originally located in this place completely burned down. Rebuilt - it was devastated by the Germans, who used it as a field hospital during World War II. Over the years it was renovated many times.

The mosque is made of wood, a low square building, distinguished from the surrounding houses of Podlasie by a turret (minaret) with an onion-shaped dome and a crescent-shaped tip.

The interior of the mosque consists of 3 parts. First, we enter the vestibule, where we must take off our shoes. During prayer, women go to the female part, i.e. Babiniec, which is separated from the male part by a wooden wall with a gap. It is covered by a transparent fabric through which the ladies observe the service.

The most important place in the mosque is the mihrab, a small recess in the wall that always points in the direction of Mecca. Equally important is the minbar, i.e. the type of pulpit from which the imam delivers his teachings. The mosque’s floors are covered with soft carpets, the walls are decorated with colorful paintings, photos and muhirs, i.e. quotes from the Koran, the holy book of Muslims.

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Tatar mosque, Kruszyniany, Poland

In the 17th century, the village of Kruszyniany was given by King Jan III Sobieski to the Tatars, who took part in the war against the Turks, siding with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. 45 Tatar families settled in the village, including Colonel Samuel Murza Krzeczowski, who saved the king’s life in the Battle of Parkany (1683).

After settling, the Tatar community built a mosque, which is first mentioned in documents from 1717. The current one was probably built in the second half of the 18th century or the first half of the 19th century (the exact date of construction is unknown), on the site of an earlier mosque.

There is also a mizar, i.e. a Muslim cemetery, in Kruszyniany. You can find there tombstones that are even several hundred years old (the oldest dates back to 1699).

The village is also inhabited by Orthodox believers and Catholics. They joke that they have three Sundays: “Muslims start celebrating on Friday, Jews on Saturday, and Catholics and Orthodox on Sunday… There are many holidays and there is no time to work, because out of respect for your neighbor, you should celebrate with him.” ;)

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