Tuz Baba Tomb
About the Person:
- Known as Tuz Baba, Halil Efendi (1420–1500) was a prominent figure who supplied salt to the army of Mehmed the Conqueror during the conquest of Istanbul, earning the title ‘Tuzcubaşı’ (Chief Salt Supplier). After the conquest, he settled in the area where the Tuz Baba Mosque now stands and built the mosque in 1490. He belonged to the Rifa’i Sufi order.
About the Tomb:
Construction Year: 16th century
Ordered by: The people
Architect: Unknown
Prominent Features:
- The tomb, where his grave is located, is square-planned and has a low roof structure. The door is on the south wall; there is one window each on the north and south walls, and three on the west wall. Inside, there is only a wooden sarcophagus belonging to Halil Efendi.
- Throughout the year, it is considered a significant pilgrimage site by the public and is regularly visited.
- This structure is both a trace of military logistics during the reign of Mehmed the Conqueror and a tangible reflection of the folk belief in ‘abundance’ and ‘protective saints’.
