Octagonal marble fountain at Gazi Husrev Beg Mosque in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. The original fountain, built in 1530, was constructed of Bosnian stone and carried spring water from a source more than four miles away from the mosque. Severe winter weather eventually cracked the stone and it was rebuilt in the 19th century of marble from the island of Bra? in Croatia. During the Bosnian War the wooden roof was so badly damaged that it could not be restored. An exact copy of the old roof was built in 1997. The quote beneath the roof is form the Qur’an; it translates to, “And from water We have created all living things.” Today the fountain is used by worshipers for ritual ablutions of the face, arms, and feet, which is required before praying.
