Abdülkadir İsfahani Masjid

Abdülkadir İsfahani Mescidi; a mescit located in the Altındağ district of Ankara. It is also briefly called İsfahani Mescidi or Tabakhane Mescidi because of the neighbourhood in which it is situated.

History

Although the exact construction date of the mescit is not known, a foundation stone found during repair works carried out by the General Directorate of Foundations in 1963 suggests that it was commissioned by Abdülkadir İsfahani in 1570. On the other hand, some sources state that the mescit was built in the 15th century and note that its architectural style does not match other contemporary Ottoman buildings. The roof, which is thought to have originally been built with a dome, has features in its covering system that differ from the Ankara architecture of the period. In this context, it can be said that the structure was designed and built more in line with Seljuk architecture. Since its construction, the mescit remained open to the local population for many years, and in 1945 it was converted into a museum depot by a cabinet decision. After undergoing renovations in 1973, 1977, 1987, 1993 and 2007, the building was reopened for worship following its latest repair.

Architecture

The stone-based, rectangular-plan mescit has a total usable area of 70 m². The north wall, which includes the entrance door, is built of cut stone, while the other façades are constructed of carved rubble stone. The structure, which has no dome or minaret, is covered with wooden eaves and a tiled roof. The entrance door, accessed by stairs, is a pointed brick arch and has a window on each side. The interior is illuminated by windows on all façades. Inside, the prayer hall is covered by a wooden carved ceiling estimated to have been made between the 17th and 18th centuries. The ceiling is painted and decorated with embroidery. The windows have wooden shutters. The mihrab is surrounded by a wide border composed of polygons.