Kaptan-ı Derya Basmacızade İbrahim Paşa Mosque

Kaptan-ı Derya Basmacızade İbrahim Paşa Mosque in the Beyazıt neighbourhood of Fatih district, Istanbul, a mosque commissioned in the early 18th century by Kaptan-ı Derya Basmacızade İbrahim Paşa

When Basmacızade İbrahim Paşa returned successfully from his sea expedition, his wealth increased and he decided to expand the elementary school he had previously considered building into a complex. In the three‑line Arabic inscription of the mosque, it is stated that the mosque was commissioned by Kaptan İbrahim Paşa and that the construction was completed in the month of Dhu al‑Hijja of the Hijri year 1119 (Gregorian 1708). İbrahim Paşa, who commissioned many charitable works, died in his last posting at Kandiye and his corpse was buried there next to the elementary school he had built.

The mosque was built using a mixed technique of cut stone and brick, with a rectangular plan measuring 14 × 17 m. While the roof of the mosque was originally covered with lead, it was later covered with tiles. Its minaret is made of cut stone. In front of the qibla wall of the mosque there is a tomb. İbrahim Paşa, who commissioned the mosque, had allocated a place in the tomb for his own mausoleum. However, İbrahim Paşa died in Crete 17 years after the construction of the complex, so his burial here was not possible and consequently the mausoleum was not built. The mosque is surrounded by a garden wall with windows, built with a mixed technique of cut stone and brick. In a corner of the garden wall there is a five‑windowed sebil.

İbrahim Paşa Mosque was removed from the staff list by Law No. 2845 dated 15 November 1935. After being used for many years as a reading room and storage for the Istanbul University Library, it was reopened for worship on 27 March 1987. After being damaged in the 17 August 1999 Gölcük earthquake, the mosque was restored by the General Directorate of Foundations and reopened for worship in 2006.