Mosque

Molla Gürani Mosque

The building was called the Church of St. Theodoros during the Byzantine period. Some additions and repairs were made during the Palaiologan period in the 13th and 14th centuries. The mosaics in the south dome bear traces of Byzantine decorative art.
It was converted into a mosque by Molla Gürani, the teacher of Mehmed the Conqueror, in 1476 and its foundation charter was prepared in 1484. While converting it into a mosque, a brick minaret, mihrab and minbar were added to the structure.
After the fire of 1833, hand-carved decorations were added; during the restoration carried out by the Directorate General of Foundations between 2018 and 2021, incompatible additions (fountain, imam’s room, etc.) were removed. The roof amphorae were preserved, the mosaics were cleaned, and the cement plasters on the walls were scraped to reveal original Byzantine and Ottoman traces.

It is also known as Vefa Church Mosque.
It was built on the plan of a closed Greek cross and the upper cover was also shaped according to this plan. The main dome in the middle is surrounded by barrel vaults on four sides.
The main dome with 12 windows contains medallion, diamond-shaped and plant-motif mosaics from the Byzantine period. The interior ends with three apses, the main apse being round on the inside and pentagonal on the outside.
The outer narthex on the western facade is covered with a triple dome system; examples of Byzantine mosaic art are preserved in the southern dome. Mosaics depicting the Virgin Mary and the prophets are on display.
Parecclesions, burial ritual spaces from the Byzantine period, were unearthed during excavations at the base of the south and north walls.
Amphorae, frequently seen in Byzantine buildings, were used and preserved as lightening materials in the transition areas between the dome and the vault.
The minaret was built using Byzantine-era railings. Byzantine ruins have been preserved in the courtyard, and the eastern wall has been lowered to its original Byzantine elevation.
During the restorations, structural pieces from the Byzantine period and a small number of Ottoman period were found in the arrangements of the courtyard, their inventories were created and they were exhibited in the courtyard.