Person in the Tomb
Mustafa Pasha, originally Bosnian or Albanian, grew up in Enderun, where he was known by the nickname Plak, which means "old" in Albanian. He is also known by the nicknames Yaylak and Çıplak.
He was the Bey of Yanya and became the Kaptan-ı Derya (Grand Admiral) in 1520 during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent. While in this position, he captained the conquest of Rhodes. In 1530, he was appointed as the Beylerbey of Damascus and was dismissed the same year. He then retired and went to Egypt, dying in 1533 on his return to Istanbul.
He married a woman named Şah Huban, one of the relatives of Suleiman the Magnificent's harem, and rose to the rank of vizier. Mustafa Pasha had a mosque and madrasah in Gelibolu and a mosque and soup kitchen in Syros (Serez). His son Ahmed Bey died in 1557 as the Bey of Esztergom.
About the Mausoleum
- Year Built
- Commissioned By
- Architect
- Location
Featured Highlights
The tomb is built on eight cut stone pillars and is covered with a cement plastered dome. There are two concentric pointed arched openings between the pillars and there are carved grid railings between these openings.
The base of the tomb remained in the pit due to the rise in road levels over time.
It underwent extensive restoration between 1942 and 1944. The following restoration inscription is located at the entrance of the tomb: “Tarih-i ta’mir baid mütevelli-i vakf Mehemmed Tahir 1234 (1819)”
There is also the following inscription on the right side: “This tomb belongs to Sultan Suleiman’s Kapudan Plak Mustafa Pasha. Fatiha for the soul of his trustee, Sirozlu Hacı Ahmed Ağa, who caused its restoration. Year (1633).”
