Mersin Old Mosque

Old Mosqoe (Eski Cami)
Basic information
Location	Mersin, Turkey
Rite	Sunni Islam
Region	Mediterranean Region
Province	Konya Province
Status	Active
Architectural description
Architectural type	Mosque
Completed	1870
Specifications
Minaret(s)	1

Old Mosque ( Turkish: Eski Cami ) is mosque in Mersin, Turkey.

Location

The mosque is situated in the business quarters of the city at 36°48′N 34°38′E / 36.800°N 34.633°E. Provencial governor's office is 200 metres (660 ft) to the east and the municipality is 400 metres (1,300 ft) to the south west. The fountain which a complimentary unit of the mosque is adjacent to the mosque.

History

In the 19th century Mersin was a small town and most of the coastline of the town belonged to the vakıf (foundation) of Bezmialem Sultan, mother of sultan Abdülmecit. In 1860's new sultan Abdülaziz decided to build a mosque and a fountain in the vakıf area. The fountain (together with the water supply insfracture ) was constructed in 1865 and the mosque in 1870. Originally these were named after the vakıf holder Bezmialem Sultan, the step mother of Abdülaziz. It is now the oldest mosque of Mersin which is still in use and it is properly called Old Mosque.^[1]

Technical Details

The old mosque is a single minaret mosque. Although commissioned by the sultan its dimensions are not comparable to those in İstanbul. The building is rectangular and the total area of the mosque including the nartex and the yard is about 600 square metres (6,500 sq ft). The mosque has a wooden gable roof instead of a traditional dome.^[2] The mihrab is situated in a nische. The mosque has been repaired in 1901, 1943 and 2008 ^[3]The fountain unlike most other mosques is not in the yard, but it faces Uray street to the south of the mosque.

References

1. İçel Sanat Kulübü Periodical No.194, Nihat Taner:Sultan Aziz Çeşmesi, p.95
2. Ecless com page
3. Travel quide estanbul (Turkish)