Tavaşi Hasan Ağa Mosque

It was used as a dervish lodge where Rifai ceremonies were performed for a period by Muhammad ibn Ukayl, who came from Yemen in 1592 and is buried in the graveyard
Later, the Rufai Asitane, which became the center of the Rufai lodges in Anatolia and Rumelia, was built right across from the mosque and the ceremonies were moved there
Ramazan Ahmed Efendi, while serving as army judge during the Yanbu Expedition, converted the masjid into a mosque by installing a minbar
The mosque, which fell into disrepair over time, was repaired by a philanthropist named Hatice Hanım in 1892
The mosque, which was repaired again in 1982, underwent a comprehensive restoration process in 2010.

In the Ottoman palace, castrated African men were called “Tavaşi”. These men, who were brought to the palace at a young age, were usually assigned to the Harem after serving in various positions. Those who were extremely successful in their service in the Harem could rise to the highest rank and become the “Darüssaade Ağası” (The Agha of the House of Fecility)
Tavaşi Hasan Agha, the founder of the mosque, is buried in front of the mihrab
It has a short but thick minaret with a single balcony
The structure is made of wood, and there is a graveyard next to it
It was built as a masjid, and later gained the status of a mosque with the addition of a minbar
The mosque’s graveyard, school, and lodgings, which do not exist today, were added later
Before the construction of Rifai Asitane, the ceremonies of the Rifai dervishes were performed here for a period.