In the entrance of mosques always look up before entering: you may see these stalactite-like structures. These are very good in my opinion. Sometimes they are more severe in design. Called muquarnas you will see them on several other mosques, I have for instance seen them in nearby Tokat, but also in far-away Edirne.

A viewere informs us: Muqarnas is a stalactite-like decoration initiated in Anatolia by the Seljuk (in the 11th – 12th century). They imported it from Iran. Later on it continued to be used in the late-Seljuk architecture of the Beyliks (14th century) and by the Ottomans up to the 19th century.

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.