In a groundbreaking addition to Turkey‘s cultural heritage, September 2023 marked the country’s triumphant twenty-first entry into the esteemed UNESCO World Heritage list with the inclusion of ‘Anatolia’s Medieval Wooden Hypostyle Mosques‘.
This remarkable route unveils a treasure trove of architectural marvels steeped in the rich tapestry of Turkish-Islamic tradition. Among its highlights are five meticulously crafted mosques, standing as testaments to Anatolia’s cultural legacy, erected during the late 13th to mid-14th centuries.
In the 12th and 13th centuries, Konya was the capital for the Seljuk Turks, and many artefacts from that time can still be seen in the city. The Beyşehir Eşrefoğlu Mosque, erected between 1296-1299, is one of them. Showcasing the splendour of Seljuk-period stone and woodwork, Anatolia’s largest wooden mosque is the only one that incorporates multiple decorative arts, including stone, brick, and colourful tilework.
The Ulu (Grand) Mosque, is one of the largest mosques in this historic city that has hosted civilisations from the Phrygians to the Ottoman Empire. The building has been restored, retaining its original form and is a superb example of Seljuk architecture and woodwork.
The Sivrihisar Ulu (Grand) Mosque in Eskişehir is one of the largest wooden-column mosques in Anatolia. In the mosque, which can accommodate up to 2,500 worshippers, one can see fine examples of Sivrihisar rug weaving. Some of the 67 pillars in the mosque feature pencil ornaments, while others have column capitals from the Eastern Roman period.
The Ahi Şerefeddin Mosque in Ankara, just a 1.5-hour high-speed train ride from Eskişehir, is an architectural marvel honouring its’s Ottoman influence while simultaneously presenting a modern design to the city. This can be seen through the city’s parks which are a tapestry of green that glow alongside Eskişehir’s urban landscape. The Seljuk-era structure is also known as Arslanhane (Lion House) for the ancient marble lion statue on the inside tomb wall.
The mosque, built during the Candaroğulları Principality, is renowned as the “Nailless Mosque” due to its unique overlapping structure without the use of metal nails. One of the building’s most outstanding characteristics is its beautiful crown gate. As there are so few examples of its type in Türkiye, the door is housed in the Kastamonu Ethnography Museum. After visiting the mosque, head to the museum to see the door and learn more about Kastamonu culture.
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