 A Sephardi synagogue (also known as "Sijavuš-pašina daira" or "Velika Avlija") is known to have been built in 1581 with the donation of Turkish Beylerbey Sijamush Pasha to help members of the Jewish community in Sarajevo who were poor.By the end of the 16th century, the space encompassing "Velika Avlija" was turned into the first synagogue.The building burned down in both 1679 and 1778, and was rebuilt each time.