The area where the mosque is located previously housed the Sheikh Selami Ali Efendi lodge and masjid
This lodge was built by the Sufi Sheikh Selami Ali Efendi, and he was buried here after he passed away
Damad Mehmed Paşazade İzzet Ali Pasha added a minbar to the mosque of the lodge and contributed to its foundation
A large part of the lodge disappeared between 1912 and 1917, and the wooden lodgings, which had become ruins during the Republican period, disappeared over time
The historical building was used as a summer cinema after being neglected for many years
And in 1968, the mosque was rebuilt in its original form by philanthropists.
Prominent features
It is known that the Sufi ceremonies were held in the lodge on Wednesdays; according to the Cemalettin Server Revnakoğlu Archive, services were also held on Monday and Friday nights
The first sheikh and founder of the lodge was Selami Ali Efendi
The lodge was affiliated with the Haşimi branch of the Celvetiyye (Jelveti) Sufi order
At the center of the well-maintained graveyard of the lodge is the tomb of Selami Ali Efendi
This tomb, in the form of an open shrine surrounded by iron bars, is one of the most visited shrines in Istanbul
It is built of cut stone and reflects the classical Ottoman minaret form, with the base part being wider and having a square plan; it has a structure that narrows towards the body, its balcony is decorated with muqarnas rows, and the honeycomb part rises clearly