Sancaktar Hayrettin Paşa Tomb
About the Person:
- Sancaktar Hayrettin Paşa was a trusted standard-bearer of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror during the conquest of Constantinople.
- He is remembered for his bravery during the siege and played a symbolic and strategic role by carrying the sancak-ı şerif (sacred banner) in battle.
- Following the conquest, he established a mosque, madrasa, and tomb complex bearing his name.
- It is believed that he converted the Byzantine-era Monastery of Saint Gastria into a mosque; later, Grand Vizier Makbul Mustafa Paşa added a minbar to it.
About the Tomb:
Construction Year: 15th century
Ordered by: Sancaktar Hayrettin Paşa
Architect: Unknown
Prominent Features:
- The tomb is located in the courtyard of Sancaktar Hayrettin Mosque and forms a small hazire (burial enclosure).
- Today, only the graves of Hayrettin Paşa and the sheikhs of the dervish lodge remain.
- It is enclosed by iron railings.
- The site contains tombstones that exemplify the funerary art of the Ottoman conquest era and is still visited by locals seeking blessings.
