Kaptanpaşa Mosque

Kaptanpaşa Mosque is a historic two‑storey square‑plan stone mosque built of cut stone in the Eyüpsultan district of Istanbul, on Eyüpsultan İskele Street.

Its wooden roof is covered with lead and is one of the rare examples of construction systems with a hidden interior dome. The mosque’s qibla faces the Golden Horn. It is 500 metres from Eyüp Sultan Mosque. Its surroundings are full of tombs and sarcophagi. There are two fountains beneath it.

History

The mosque’s name appears in sources also as Büyük İskele, Cevri Kalfa and Hacı Mahmud Ağa Mosque. The mosque was first built as a wooden structure in the 16th century by Mahmut Ağa of Georgian origin. The building was rebuilt in the 19th century. A philanthropist named Eyyûbi elhac İzzet Efendi placed a minbar in the mosque.

The mosque was rebuilt for the third time in 1900 in stone. Its third patron was Hasan Hüsnü Paşa, who served as Naval Minister for 23 years during the reign of Abdulhamid II. This is indicated by the inscription on the mosque door. The lines of the inscription belong to the poet Refet Efendi. The minaret on the right‑hand side was added for the first time in this period.

The mosque was located at the junction of the road from Eyüp İskele Street to Hünkar İskele neighbourhood. When these roads were expropriated in 1984‑1985, the building remained standing in the middle.

After the restoration it was reopened for worship in 2019. During the restoration, a painted and plastered picture of a ship, thought to be Hasan Hüsnü Paşa’s vessel, was uncovered within the structure. The original state of the picture was preserved and, following a scientific committee decision, it was conserved by an artist’s skill and prepared for exhibition in the former congregation area.

Architectural features

The mosque is accessed by two stairways of 14 steps each, on the right and left. The stairs merge in a small landing and from there one enters the wooden‑doored section.

Its wooden roof, like the Hasanpaşa Mosque in Kadıköy, is an inward dome. The dome and its surroundings are adorned with embroidery. At the apex of the dome there is a verse written in gold script.

On the right side of the rectangular last congregation area there are stairs made of wood that provide access to the women's mahfil. The prayer hall is square-plan. Two windows open onto the prayer hall from each side.

Below and to the left of this cube-shaped mosque there are two ablution fountains.