Şeyh Mosque

Sheikh Mosque, a 16th‑century Ottoman‑period mosque in Muğla.

The mosque, located in the city's Sheikh neighbourhood of the same name, was commissioned in 1565 by Sheikh Bedrettin. For this reason Ottoman records refer to the mosque as “Sheikh Bedrettin Mosque”. The mosque, which has undergone many restorations, had its minaret added in the 1800s. In the mosque’s courtyard there are graves of several individuals, primarily the founder Sheikh Bedrettin and some scholars. Records from 1754 and 1756 state that a two‑cell madrasa existed in the mosque garden. These madrasa, mentioned in the record as “Haji Ömer and Haji Ali Madrasa”, were assigned three teachers.

In 1671 the traveler Evliya Çelebi, who came to the city, listed Sheikh Mosque among the notable mosques of Muğla. Ottoman appointment registers contain nearly 46 appointment entries concerning the mosque between 1700 and 1831, the highest number of records among Muğla’s mosques.

The mosque, which is open for worship today, has the Muğla Girls’ Qur’an Course, affiliated with the mufti’s office, in its garden.

Sheikh Bedrettin

Sheikh Bedrettin, who commissioned the mosque, was a mystic who lived in the 16th century. He taught at the madrasa in Muğla known as the Kadı Mosque. Records from the 16th century indicate that this scholar achieved great fame, as his name was given to a neighbourhood, but written sources contain little information about him.