Bayat Mosque

Bayat Village Mosque or Bayat Village Old Mosque is a mosque in the village of Bayat, which belongs to the district of Çivril in Denizli province, famous for its decorations. Bayat Mosque has been restored while preserving its original form.

History

The existence of a mosque in Bayat village has been known since the 16th century. Based on the Hijri 1289 date on one of the wooden pillars in the minaret, it is estimated that the present mosque was built in 1870 and that wall paintings were made in 1872–73. However, there is also an opinion that the date on the pillar refers to the mosque’s construction date, while the decorations were carried out in the 1950s. The mosque, whose wall paintings and decorations have been restored and renewed, was opened for worship in April 2022.

Architecture

Bayat Mosque is located within the village. It is a nearly rectangular plan close to a square and a single‑space structure. With a flat roof resting on wooden supports, Bayat Village Mosque shares similarities with other mosques in the Denizli region that were built in the late 18th and 19th centuries. The entrance of the mosque and the rectangular main prayer hall are on the north side.

Decorations

A significant part of the decorations of Bayat Village Mosque consists of inscriptions. These inscriptions, which surround the mihrab and the sanctuary walls, are arranged in various forms such as bands, circles and pears. In the simple niche with a round arch of the mihrab, the 255th verse of Surah Al‑Baqarah (Ayat al‑Kursi) is written. Directly above this inscription, a sentence taken from the 37th verse of Surah Al‑Imran is inscribed. Inside the mosque there are also inscriptions rendered in a “plaque” form.

Depictions and motifs also occupy an important place in the mosque’s wall decorations. On the wall west of the mihrab there is a depiction of the Kaaba and an inscription‑seal in the Ottoman alphabet that reads “Âh mine’l‑ʿaşk”: “Âh mine’l‑ʿaşkı ve hâlâtihi / Ahraka kalbî bi‑harârâtihi / Âh aşkınla akan gözyaşlarım deryâ oldı / Âteşim müdhiş dagları yakdı”. On the east wall, the “Amentü” prayer is arranged in the shape of a ship. Between the “Vav” letters, the names of some of the Companions of the Cave are also written. In addition to religious script and depictions, plant and flower motifs are carved on the mosque’s walls.