Yeni Mosque, Thessaloniki

The Yeni Mosque is a notable religious structure located in Thessaloniki, a city in northern Greece. Its construction was overseen by Italian architect Vitaliano Poselli and completed in 1902, a time when the region was under Ottoman rule. The mosque was initially intended to serve the Dönmeh community, a group of crypto-Jewish converts to Islam residing in the city.

Following the population exchange between Greece and Turkey, the Dönmeh community was forced to leave Thessaloniki, resulting in the abandonment of the Yeni Mosque. Despite its original purpose being tied to the Islamic faith, the mosque's history is also closely linked to the Jewish community, given its association with the Dönmeh, who were of Jewish origin. Today, the Yeni Mosque stands as a testament to the complex cultural and religious dynamics that have shaped the city of Thessaloniki over the centuries.