Aslanhane Mosque () is a 13th-century mosque in

Ankara Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...

, Turkey.

Location

The mosque is in the old quarter of Ankara next to

Ankara Castle Ankara Castle () is a historic fortification in the city of Ankara, Turkey, constructed in or after the 7th century. The earliest fortification on the site was constructed in the 8th century BC by the Phrygians and rebuilt in 278 BC by the Gala ...

. With an altitude of it overlooks Ankara at .

History

Built during the reign of

Mesud II Ghiyath al-Dīn Me’sud ibn Kaykaus or Mesud II (, ''Ghiyāth ad-Dīn Mas'ūd bin Kaykāwūs''; , ) bore the title of Sultan of Rûm at various times between 1284 and 1308. He was a vassal of the Mongols under Mahmud Ghazan and exercised no re ...

of the Anatolian Seljuks in 1290, the mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Turkey still standing. Its architect was Ebubekir Mehmet. It was commissioned by two Ahi leaders named Hüsamettin and Hasaneddin. However, in 1330, it was repaired by another Ahi leader named Şerafettin after whom the mosque was named. After several minor repairs the mosque was restored by the Directorate General of Foundations in 2010-2013 term.

The building

The square-plan building with area has one minaret. Its wooden roof is supported by 24 large wood columns. It has 3 gates and 12 windows The

mihrab ''Mihrab'' (, ', pl. ') is a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the ''qibla'', the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca towards which Muslims should face when praying. The wall in which a ''mihrab'' appears is thus the "''qibla'' wall". ...

is decorated with Seljuk tiles. The building material is mostly

spolia ''Spolia'' (Latin for 'spoils'; : ''spolium'') are stones taken from an old structure and repurposed for new construction or decorative purposes. It is the result of an ancient and widespread practice (spoliation) whereby stone that has been quar ...

from earlier buildings. Şerafettin's tomb is facing the mosque. There was a lion statue which was buried in the walls of Şerafettin's mosque. That's why the popular name of the mosque is Aslanhane meaning the house of the lion.

Gallery

File:Arslanhane Cami, 2019 11.jpg, The minaret File:Arslanhane Camii, 2023 75.jpg, Main entrance File:Arslanhane Cami, 2019 04.jpg, Archivolt of the west entrance File:Arslanhane Camii, 2023 15.jpg, Wooden ceiling of the mosque File:Arslanhane Camii, 2023 23.jpg, Minbar details File:Arslanhane Camii, 2023 22.jpg, Minbar details File:Arslanhane Camii, 2023 18.jpg, Minbar details File:Arslanhane Mosque - Mihrab 02.jpg, The mihrab File:Arslanhane Camii, 2023 42.jpg, Mihrab details File:Arslanhane Camii, 2023 47.jpg, Mihrab details File:Arslanhane Camii, 2023 31.jpg, Mihrab details File:Arslanhane Camii, 2023 70.jpg, Spolia use at the exterior walls File:Ankara Lion of Ahi Şerafettin Zaviyesi (Ankara) in 2012 02.jpg, Lion fragment, now across street from mosque

References

{{Authority control Mosques in Ankara Seljuk mosques in Turkey Religious buildings completed in 1290 Mosques completed in the 1290s