Kesik Minaret Mosque – Historical and Cultural Building
There are historical places in Antalya that attract the attention of local and foreign tourists. Kesik Minaret Mosque is one of these places. It is located in Kaleici as a location. Kaleici is one of the most visited places in Antalya. You can visit many touristic places by planning a day trip to the city center.
If you are wondering what to do in Kaleici, you can visit similar historical places. You can wander the streets smelling of history. You can taste local delicacies in Antalya’s most beautiful cafes and restaurants. You can go on a shopping tour. You can take a walk in the surrounding parks and take beautiful pictures with the scenery.
About Kesik Minaret Mosque
The building, which was used as a temple at first and then as a church and mosque, was built as a Roman temple in Kaleici Region, one of the most historical and touristic places of Antalya. In the seventh century, it was converted into a place of worship as a Panaghia church in honor of the Virgin Mary during the Byzantine Period. Later, it was badly damaged during the Arab occupation and was repaired in the 9th century.
When the region was included in the territory of the Anatolian Seljuks in the 13th century, the church was converted into a mosque. A minaret is added to the church in the process of being converted into a mosque. In 1361, when the Crusader King of Cyprus captured the region, it was converted into a church again.
With the re-incorporation of the region into the lands of the Seljuks, it takes its final form during the Prince Korkut Period. The mosque, which was used for worship until the 1800s, suffered a great fire and the wooden minaret of the mosque burned down. Thus, the minaret of the mosque is referred to as cut. (The Turkish word Kesik: It means cut.
Mosque architecture is seen as very important by some as it includes both Roman temple architecture, Byzantine church architecture and Seljuk mosque architecture. In addition, the Kesik Minaret Mosque draws attention as it is the first mosque in Antalya.
You can visit other historical buildings in the Kaleici Region along with this mosque, which houses the architecture of 3 different cultures. Since Kaleici Region has a very old history, it contains many historical buildings, especially the Kesik Minare mosque.
If you are interested in historical buildings, you can add the historical buildings in Kaleici to your list of places to visit in Antalya.
