Banya Bashi Mosque in Bulgaria's capital Sofia is one of Europe's oldest Muslim places of worship. Built in the 16th century, it serves as a reminder of almost 500 years of Ottoman rule over the country. Bulgaria is home to the largest Turkish community in the Balkans. Around 500,000 ethnic Turks live in the southeastern European country of 8 million, making up about 8% of Bulgaria's total population, according to a 2021 census. Most are descendants of Turkish settlers who came to Bulgaria with