Xhura Mosque in Tirana, Albania

Xhura Mosque is an active neighborhood mosque on Rruga Belul Hatibi in the Oxhaku area of Tirana, built in 1996 during the early years of Albania's post-communist religious revival. It is not an Ottoman monument like the much older Et’hem Bey Mosque in the city center; its interest lies in a different chapter of Albanian history, when Muslim communities were rebuilding religious life after decades of state atheism. The mosque remains a functioning place of worship rather than a tourist attraction with fixed visitor sessions, so it best suits travelers interested in contemporary religious life and post-1990 Tirana. The decisive practical limitation is the lack of a reliable public tourist timetable: prayer and community use take priority.

The Albanian Muslim Community, KMSH, records that the site stands on 1,013 square meters of land donated by Ismail Hysen Xhura and that the mosque and associated cultural center are administered by the Muslim Community of Albania. A current social-page mirror for the mosque states that the building was constructed in 1996 with support from the Muafak Foundation on land donated by the Xhura family. Gjirafa's religious-site directory independently gives the same opening year. Together, those sources place Xhura Mosque firmly in the first decade after the fall of Albania's communist regime, when public religious institutions were re-emerging across the country.

That date matters because Albania's communist government had suppressed organized religion and declared the country atheist in the late 1960s. Xhura Mosque therefore represents restoration rather than survival from the Ottoman period. Its architecture is modern, and a recent visitor account describes a simple exterior with a white minaret and a turquoise-carpeted prayer interior. Such observations are useful for setting expectations, but the building should not be approached as a decorative exhibit. The prayer hall is a living religious space used by local worshippers every day.

Current activity is well documented. In January 2025, KMSH reported a religious evening at Xhura Mosque after the Isha prayer, attended by Tirana's mufti Gazment Teqja, KMSH representatives and imam Gentjan Mara. The mosque's current social feed continues to advertise lectures and prayer-related events in 2026, including Ramadan-night arrangements. This recent institutional activity is stronger evidence of present use than an old tourism listing or a historical review score.

For a non-Muslim visitor, timing and conduct matter more than an admission ticket. No reliable entrance fee is published, and mosques of this type are primarily community institutions. If you want to see the interior, avoid arriving in the middle of congregational prayer, especially the busy Friday prayer period, and ask permission if the entrance situation is unclear. Dress modestly, remove shoes where indicated and avoid photographing worshippers without consent. These are respectful visiting practices, not a guarantee that the prayer hall is open for sightseeing at every moment.

The address is Rruga Belul Hatibi, in eastern Tirana near the Oxhaku area. Current mosque directories and local street data place it consistently on that road, while a specialist prayer directory gives coordinates around 41.3435, 19.8428. The location is outside the compact Skanderbeg Square sightseeing core, so many visitors will use a taxi, ride-hailing service or local transport rather than walk from the center. Use the name “Xhamia Xhura” when navigating, since that is the Albanian name most likely to be recognized locally.

Published hours require caution. Some map-style listings describe the mosque as available around the clock, but that does not establish 24-hour tourist access, nor does it mean the building is staffed for visitors at all times. Prayer times also shift through the year. This guide therefore leaves formal visitor hours unconfirmed. If seeing the interior is important, contact the mosque through its current social page or arrive outside the main prayer periods and ask locally. A short respectful visit might take 20 to 40 minutes, while attending a religious event naturally requires more time.

Accessibility is not sufficiently documented by the operator. A specialist mosque directory reports wheelchair-related facilities, but that secondary claim does not explain the exact entrance route, prayer-floor access, ablution facilities or toilet layout. Anyone who depends on step-free access should confirm directly before going. The same caution applies to women's prayer facilities and event-specific arrangements: directories may list amenities, but actual access can vary with the building and the occasion.

Xhura Mosque can be understood alongside other religious sites in Tirana without reducing them to a checklist. Et’hem Bey Mosque represents an older Ottoman-era layer in the center, while the Bektashi World Centre reflects another major tradition within Albania's religious landscape. Xhura adds the post-communist neighborhood story: donated land, a new mosque built in the 1990s, a cultural center and continuing local programming under KMSH. That contrast is more informative than judging the mosque only by age or architectural ornament.

The best reason to visit is therefore context. Xhura Mosque shows how religious life returned to public space in Tirana after the restrictions of the twentieth century, and current KMSH activity confirms that it is still used by a living congregation. Go with modest expectations of tourism infrastructure, verify access if you need certainty, and treat worshippers' needs as primary. For travelers interested in Albania's social history as well as monuments, the mosque offers a useful contemporary counterpart to the capital's older sacred buildings.