Bala Süleyman Ağa Mosque
- Changes the building has undergone since its construction
- A sufi lodge was established around the mosque in the late 18th century.
- The mosque, which had fallen into disrepair, was rebuilt on a larger scale by Sazkâr Kalfa in 1862-63; the mosque-tevhidhane was also built with a dome at this time.
- The mosque, tomb and dervish lodge buildings that were damaged in the great Istanbul earthquake of 1894 were rebuilt by Adile Sultan, the daughter of Sultan Mahmud II.
- Sultan Abdulmejid’s wife, Perestu Kadınefendi, added rooms, a fountain and a timing room to the lodge; she also had a school known as the “Bâlâ Mektebi” built.
- After the closure of the lodges in the Republic period, some of the structures were ruined over time.
- The mosque was reopened for worship with restorations in 1950 and 1973.
- Finally, it underwent an extensive restoration in 2022.
- Prominent features of the mosque
- The mosque, which has an octagonal plan, has a dome and is built in the Empire style. A stone-arched, two-winged wooden door is at its entrance. There is an inscription above the door, dated 1279, written in golden yellow on a green background. The roof of the building extends to the pavement with a wide and striking aesthetic.
- On both sides of the door are long, elegant windows; under the roof are single-row calligraphy and the Ayat al-Qursi inscriptions starting with the Basmala. On the side where the minaret is, the aesthetic details of the mosque stand out.
- The windows and the mihrab in the interior are decorated with fine workmanship. Inside, there is a large Hilya of Hasan Rıza Effendi and the Sancak-ı Şerif (The Banner of the Prophet Muhammad).
- There are trees, graves and a fountain in the large courtyard.
- In 2022, Bala School, located opposite the mosque, was restored and transferred to a non-governmental organization. On the facade of the school, there is a tughra and an inscription dated AH 1323 (1905/1906 in Gregorian).
*The soldiers who participated in the Conquest of Istanbul were honored with the title Ni’me’l Ceyş (Delighted Soldiers) and the commander who carried out the conquest was honored with the title Ni’me’l-Emir (Delighted Commander).
