The “Cursed Mosque” of Athens
The Unknown Story of the Tzistarakis Mosque
If you have ever visited Athens, then you sure have walked through Monastiraki square. Always filled with people, alive and vibrant, it is the cultural heart of the capital, where past, present, and future meet under the Mediterranean hot sun. Most people usually arrive here through the Monastiraki train station. From there they rush to visit famous monuments like the Akropolis and the ancient Agora, ignoring every other hidden treasure that may stand in their way.
Such a forgotten gem you can find standing right in front of you in the central square of Monastiraki. There lies the Tzistarakis Mosque one of the few remaining Muslim mosques, left in the Greek capital. It stands here, forgotten yet proud, its white walls shining under the sun. But these white walls bear a terrible secret… Come closer with great caution, for an unknown curse started from here, a curse that devastated the city three centuries before…
The year was 1759, and Greece was under Ottoman rule. Athens was under the command of a then-unknown Ottoman ruler called “Mustafa Aga Dizdar”. But for the people of Athens, he was known as “Mustapha Tzistarakis” and with this name he passed into history. As soon as he took command of Athens — a city for which the Ottomans had great respect for its glorious past — he craved for his name to be added next to the long line of benefactors of the city, great men like emperor Hadrian or sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. So he came up with a plan:
He would build a mosque, which would have been “the greatest mosque in Athens and in the whole of Greece”. However, in order to accomplish his dream and gain fame and glory, Tzistarakis needed a way to make his mosque truly special. And so he took a terrible decision…
He ordered for the 17th pillar of the temple of the Olympian Zeus to be blown away! From its dust, he made lime to whiten the mosque’s outer walls. It has been suggested that instead of the temple, Tzistarakis blew one of the pillars of Hadrian’s Library which is right next to the mosque, and as so, it would be much easier to carry it. Nevertheless, the pillar was destroyed and a fatal mistake has been made…
You see, from the 16th to 19th century CE the people who inhabited Greece considered the ancient Greek and Roman ruins which were found all over the country to be cursed. Much like the pyramids of the early 20th century which were believed to hide in their chambers cursed spells, hideous mummies who could walk again, and other terrible things, the Balkan people believed that if anyone dared to move or destroy the old monuments, or take any treasure hidden in their crumbled ruins, he would wake the wrath of the pagan Olympian Gods.
You can imagine the panic and outrage Tzistarakis’ act caused to the people of Athens. Due to his sacrilege, the dreadful Olympians would now curse the entire city to suffer! Of course, the Ottoman ruler ignored these fairy tales and superstitions of the common folk. The mosque was completed in just one year and it was indeed one of the most beautiful mosques in the area. But soon after a terrible evil stroke the city…
A plague outbreak flooded the city, killing hundreds of Ottomans and Greeks alike! Enraged and terrified the civilians blamed Tzistarakis for the illness. For them, it was clear that Zeus, Apollo, or some other pagan demon had sent his dark magic all over the city to punish them all for his sinful act. Their litanies and prayers proved unable to exorcise the ancient spells. Soon they rebelled against Tzistarakis, asking for his blood to be spilled in order for the curse to be lifted. The ruler of Athens did his best to calm down the masses but to no effect. Unfortunately for him, his situation would only worsen. For the Olympians were not the only ones demanding his blood…
Under Ottoman law, it was forbidden to destroy, sell, or move any ancient ruin of great importance. With the destruction of the pillar, Tzistarakis caused not only the wrath of the Olympians but also that of the Sultan, who ordered his immediate arrest! No matter how many coins he offered to his superior commander in Eurippos to spare him, Tzistarakis was finally arrested and removed from his position as ruler of Athens. But this was not enough to lift the curse… The plague continued to rage until Tzistarakis was mysteriously murdered one dark night. Whether the murderer was some servant of the Sultan, an outraged Athenian who decided to take the matters into his hands, or the Olympians themselves remains a mystery…
Tzistarakis was dead, his remains buried in an unmarked location. With his death, the plague was over, much to the joy of the Athenians. However, the mosque that has started the whole thing, was still standing. Both the locals and the next Ottoman ruler decided to leave it in its place, just to be sure… Up to this day, it is still standing in its original place and it is the only mosque in Athens open for visit! Today its walls house valuable ceramics, which are part of the Museum of Hellenic Folk Art. It is now nothing more than a forgotten monument, a museum that no one rarely visits.
But, if you spend a few minutes on your next trip to Athens, and step inside the mosque, you may feel the vengeful eyes of the ancient spirits watching you… eager for you to make a fatal mistake and cause their wrath to fall upon you…
Bibliography
Atlas Obscura, (2019), Tzistarakis Mosque, available at https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tzistarakis-mosque, (last access 30/03/2022)
Archaeology of the City of Athens, (2022), Tzistaraki Mosque, available at http://archaeologia.eie.gr/archaeologia/En/arxeio_more.aspx?id=91, (last access 30/03/2022)
Mixani tou Cronou, (2022), Το καταραμένο τζαμί στο Μοναστηράκι χτίστηκε με ασβέστη που φτιάχτηκε από κίονα αρχαίου ναού. Στη βεβήλωση αποδόθηκε η πανώλη που έπεσε στην πόλη…, available at https://www.mixanitouxronou.gr/katarameno-tzami-sto-monastiraki/, (last access 30/03/2022)
