Grand Mosque of Afyonkarahisar

13th-century Seljuk-era mosque in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey

Afyon Grand Mosque

Afyon Ulu Camii

Location
Location| Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
Geographic coordinates| 38°45′18″N 30°31′46″E﻿ / ﻿38.75500°N 30.52944°E﻿ / 38.75500; 30.52944
Architecture
Architect(s)| Emir Hac Bey
Type| Mosque
Date established| 1272

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Type| Cultural
Criteria| ii, iv
Designated| 2023
Parent listing| Wooden Hypostyle Mosques of Medieval Anatolia
Reference no.| 1694-001

The Afyon Grand Mosque (Turkish: Afyonkarahisar Ulu Camii) is a historical mosque in Afyonkarahisar in Afyonkarahisar province, Turkey.

## The mosque

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The mosque is the most important one of the many mosques in town. It was built in 1272 by Hasan Nusretüddin.[1] Its architect was Emir Hac Bey. It is an example of the Anatolian wooden mosque architecture from the Seljuk period. A wooden beam roof covering nine naves is supported by 40 wooden columns with well-executed capitals in stalactite decoration.[2] The middle nave is slightly wider than the others, as well as slightly higher. Around the marble prayer niche some verses from the koran are written. The construction date is indicated there also. In 1341 a first restoration was executed by Muinuddin Emir Abdullah Bey, an inscription indicating this can be found on the east front door.[3] The building was preserved in its original shape with a flat roof, however another roof was added during a more recent restoration. The minaret is in brick with lozenge glazed shapes for decoration, a rare survivor from Seljuk times.

## Gallery

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* Afyon Grand Mosque Exterior minaret

* Afyon Grand Mosque Interior with carpets

* Afyon Grand Mosque Interior with mihrab and minber

* Afyon Grand Mosque Interior minber

* Afyon Grand Mosque Interior Mihrab

* Afyon Grand Mosque Interior door of mihrab

* Afyon Grand Mosque Interior Ceiling

* Afyon Grand Mosque Interior ceiling close up

* Afyon Grand Mosque Interior detail of capital

* Afyon Grand Mosque Interior detail of capital

## References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Afyonkarahisar Grand Mosque.

1. ^ "İnanç Turizmi" (in Turkish). Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Archived from the original on April 9, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
2. ^ "Kırk Direkli Afyonkarahisar Ulu Camii" (in Turkish). habitat.org.tr. Archived from the original on January 17, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
3. ^ "Afyonkarahisar Ulu Camii" (PDF) (in Turkish). Atatürk Kültür Merkezi. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 18, 2017. Retrieved January 16, 2019.

## Further reading

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* Turkey, Agon cultuur reisgidsen in kleur (Dutch translation of Knaurs Kulturführer in Farbe Türkei) and notice on site.