Changes After Construction
Built as a church, the building was converted into a mosque over time and has gained an important place in the religious life of the region.
The mosque was damaged by the earthquake in 1999 and was subsequently rebuilt.
Restoration works were carried out by the Investment Monitoring and Coordination Directorates (YİKOP) between 2013 and 2020.
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Kaleiçi Mosque was first built as a church and later converted into a mosque.
It is one of the 7 buildings converted from churches to mosques, and it is among the structures whose exact construction date is unknown, along with the Ottoman and Boğazköy Church Mosques.
After the population exchange in the region, churches were made suitable for Muslim worship and began to be used as mosques.
It has largely preserved its original plan.
While preserving the general plan of the church, changes specific to the mosque were made in the interior.
It is seen that the stone and brick alternating bonding technique, specific to Ottoman civil architecture, was used in the building. It is noteworthy that the building has two floors and a rectangular plan, and the upper floor windows are designed with pointed arches.
The wooden eaves and roof cladding were reinforced with modern materials while preserving the historical character of the building.
The interior has a very simple and spacious design. The wooden ceiling is one of the traditional elements of Ottoman mosque architecture adding a warm atmosphere to the space.
The marble mihrab and ornamented minbar emphasize the mosque's unique Islamic identity. Large chandeliers provide illumination of the space and offer a design that is in keeping with the classical Ottoman mosque interior.
Round arched windows both illuminate the space by letting in natural light and complete the architectural aesthetics of the building.
