Iskender Paşa Mosque

İskender Paşa Mosque is a mosque located in the Sur district of Diyarbakır. Construction of the mosque was started in 1551 or 1554 by order of Çerkes İskender Paşa, the 12th Ottoman Governor of the Diyarbakır Province, and was completed in 1557. Some sources state that the architect of the mosque is recorded as Mimar Sinan, but there is no certainty on this matter.

Architecture

The mosque has a single dome and a square plan. It shows a slight difference with two small spaces in the form of a tabhâne that are not connected to the prayer hall but are adjacent to it. According to the prayer hall, the side façades have a five-section outer prayer area that extends outward. The large central dome rests on low tromps; the five‑arched outer prayer portico of this mosque collapsed in ancient times, and in the repair carried out in 1953 the top of the portico was covered with a flat reinforced‑concrete slab. While the outer prayer area built on seven arches extends to the sides, single‑storey small cells were added at the back, adjacent to the prayer hall, thus making the courtyard façade broader and more majestic. The outer prayer area was constructed solely of basalt stone, whereas the body walls used alternating black and white stones in a woven pattern. According to the endowment deed, the mosque has a high dome and a minaret.

To the north of the mosque, two cells were built along the east‑west direction and were allocated for scholars of obscure sciences and knowledge. Also in the northern void, opposite the gate, an octagonal pool surrounded by an iron fence was constructed, with two basins placed in each quadrant for ablution.

Decorations in the mosque were applied on stone, marble and tile. Stone decorations were created by carving on limestone and basalt. Marble was used sparingly in the exterior architecture. Exterior decorations were used on the façades and the minaret.