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Sherif Halil Pasha Mosque, more commonly known as the Tombul Mosque of Shumen, is the largest mosque in Bulgaria and after the Sultan Selim Mosque in Edirne (Turkey) it is the second largest on the Balkan peninsula. The architectural complex takes up an area of 1730 sq m. All parts of the complex are included in a common structure and are interconnected by patios. An open lobby area with tall Moorish arcades leads to the prayer hall. It is supported by four massive marble columns. There are five domes in the lobby area. The prayer hall is lit by four rows of windows, the upper three rows being made of stained glass. The interior is decorated with murals featuring floral motifs, geometric figures and inscriptions in Arabic of important passages from the Qur'an. The balcony in the hall is the place where women pray. The madrasa complex, is located to the left of the prayer hall. The minaret of the mosque stands 40 m tall and has 99 spirally-arranged stone stairs and a small balcony. A large fountain is built in the spacious courtyard. It is used by Muslims to perform the Wudu ritual washing before the prayer. In 1975 Sherif Halil Pasha Mosque was declared a cultural monument of national importance.

Tombul mosque was built in 1744 by benefactor Sheriff Halil Pasha and named after him. Because of its round dome, which in Turkish is known as "tambul", the population started calling it "Tombul Mosque". The architectural style a fusion of oriental and French baroque styles that originated in the early 18th century in a period known as the Tulip era. Recent restoration of murals exposed that there are two periods of decoration. The original one from the middle of the 18th century displays the aesthetics of Alevism. The later frescoes in the Tulip era style were painted over the original ones in the 19th century.

A recent discovery of an ensemble of three stelae near the northeastern cornerstone of the mosque hints at the possibility of a secret spiritual society connected with the history of the temple. According to prof Dobrin Dobrinov the mosque was probably the heart of Sufi community. This mystical strand of Islam treats everyone as equal before God and is well known for its practice of religious tolerance. The Bektashi Order in particular proclaims the common source of all monotheistic religions and regards form and ritual as outer manifestations of an inner truth that is the same for everyone. They are devoted to spreading ideas of understanding, tolerance and brotherly love beyond the immediate religious community.

Since its consecration, the Tombul mosque is one of the most important religious, cultural and educational centers of Muslims in Bulgaria. Its library contained a vast collection of extremely valuable works in Arabic and Persian, as well as maps drawn by Muhammad al-Idrisi, the famous Arab geographer who worked and lived at the beginning of the 12th century. Today the precious collection is stored in the National Library in Sofia.

- Direct visit - Virtual visit - See the photo galleries in the media resources section. Classroom activity - Let’s Know Our Community” from the Teachers’ guide - https://bit.ly/2DsRWEe