Söğütlüçeşme Mosque

Söğütlüçeşme Mosque is a mosque in Kadıköy. It is also called Kuşdili Mosque. The foundation of the two‑minaret mosque was laid on 27 July 1963.

History

The mosque, whose construction was started with the help of the local community on the land purchased by the Turkish Monuments Association from the metropolitan municipality in 1959, was opened for worship in 1963.

The cemeteries located on the sloping terrain where the mosque was built were removed during the mosque’s construction.

Architectural structure

The mosque area is 2,388 m², and the site on which the mosque sits is 1,500 m². There is a passage beneath the mosque. The mosque was built in Seljuk‑Ottoman architectural style, but the dome supports are square in shape. The tops of the side prayer halls transition to arch‑shaped vaults, and four small domes are placed at the corners. In the last prayer hall, which has two rows, the mosque’s minaret and exterior façade are covered with kuffeki stone. The stones on the minaret were removed over time due to deterioration and were reinforced, turning it into a single balcony. The mosque has side and rear women’s prayer sections. The interior is finished with plaster and tile work. A heating system is present.

Facilities

In the mosque garden there is a domed fountain, a waiting hall for the congregation attending funeral prayers, a conference hall, and spaces for religious officials. The fountain and toilets are located on the lower floor. There are two separate buildings for religious officials and the association management. A project that began in the area in 2012‑2013 resulted in the renovation of these buildings as well. Within the scope of the project, Söğütlüçeşme Park, located in the mosque courtyard, and the Kadıköy Söğütlüçeşme Main Child Health and Family Planning Center gave way to a single‑storey parking lot. The upper level of the parking lot can be used as additional space during the high attendance of Friday prayers in the mosque courtyard. The construction within the project was criticized on the grounds that trees were cut down in the area.