photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Dick Osseman | all galleries >> Bursa >> Bursa small mosques > Bursa Ertugrul Bey Mosque May 2014 7348.jpg
previous | next
21-May-2014 Dick Osseman

Bursa Ertugrul Bey Mosque May 2014 7348.jpg

I found an article in Zaman about the namesake of this mosque:

"Ottoman Prince Ertuğrul Bey must have been a legend in his own right, as he had turned only 22 years of age when he was tasked by his father, Sultan Yıldırım Bayezid I, to try and unite all of the Anatolian principalities.

Yet he met his fate on the battlefield in 1398, losing his young life at the hands of Kadi Burhan Al-Din. Ertuğrul Bey's remains were carried back to Bursa, which was then the first capital of the Ottoman state. So one would expect to find a memorial of enormous proportions, but what we encounter is modesty instead. In our culture, sites and places of historic importance do not always have to be big -- often it is the story behind a particular ancient building, event or monument that more than makes up for a few hundred square meters of ground. Present-day first-time visitors to what has long since become one of Turkey's most famous metropolises, located in the country's northwestern Marmara region, could be forgiven for not immediately locating Ertuğrul Bey Camii, proudly standing just off from what in modern times is Cumhuriyet Caddesi. It is smaller than many neighboring buildings and attractions. Yet once there you will be glad you spotted it. His corpse was buried in the mosque's externally visible graveyard. The mosque as such survived fires and earthquakes, and so did his tombstone, although many structural repairs have been carried out on the building over the centuries. "

The grave is outside, I took a picture.

The Ertuğrul Camii has an almost square prayer hall (10 x 10,40 m, under a flat ceiling), which is preceded on the north side by a porch, 10 m wide and 5 m deep. The mosque was founded in the very end of the 14th century, but had to be restored/rebuilt several times; however, unlike many other Bursa buildings, it survived the 1855 earthquake quite well. Its inner decoration is refreshed regularly and displays a plain Classical Ottoman style.

On the picture: The north side of the congregation hall, with the entrance and the platform were women take place if they want to participate in the common prayer.
The presence of such a platform in a mosque is not compulsory. The only separation between men and women is during prayers when women must stand behind the men. The platform makes things only somewhat easier (for men); the women being (almost) completely invisible for people downstairs, men will no longer be tempted to secretly peep backwards, and so will stay well focused on the ritual.

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Sources: ‘Vakıf Abideler ve eski Eserler (volume III)’ - Vakıflar Genel Müdürlüğü, Ankara 1983
& Website of ‘alanbaskanligi.bursa.bel.tr’

Nikon D4
1/40s f/8.0 at 24.0mm iso5000 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
comment | share