Bitlis Şerefiye Mosque

Bitlis Şerefiye Mosque was built in 1529 by Şeref Han, the ruler of the local Şerefhan principality that governed Bitlis under Ottoman suzerainty. It is counted among the "five minarets" of Bitlis, a set of historic mosques whose minarets have long been treated as emblematic of the old town's skyline. The mosque forms the religious core of the larger Şerefiye complex, which also includes a medrese and a bathhouse, and it is especially noted for the quality of its stone carving, a reflection of the distinctive building tradition that uses Bitlis's local dark stone. Together with the complex's other buildings, the mosque illustrates the architectural patronage of the Şerefhan dynasty at a time when Bitlis was a significant regional center under Ottoman rule. It remains in use today in the heart of the old city.