Emir Sultan Mosque, Yıldırım, Bursa, Turkey
An early Ottoman mosque, the 14th-century Emir Sultan Camii was named for Sultan Bayezit I’s son-in-law and adviser, a Persian scholar-dervish. Today’s structure reflects renovations made after an earthquake in 1766, in the then-fashionable Ottoman baroque style, echoing the romantic decadence of baroque and rococo; it’s rich in wood, curves and outer painted arches.
Renovated by Selim III in 1805, the mosque was later damaged by the 1855 earthquake and rebuilt by Sultan Abdül Aziz in 1858; it received further touch-ups in the 1990s. The interior is surprisingly plain, but enjoys a nice setting beside a tree-filled cemetery overlooking the valley. Emir Sultan’s tomb is here, and the oldest of several historic fountains dates to 1743.
Dolmuşes and buses marked ‘Emirsultan’ travel here. Walking along Emir Sultan Caddesi, another cemetery en route contains the graves of the İskender kebap dynasty, including the creator of the famous kebap, İskender Usta.
Epic Turkey Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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