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Dick Osseman | all galleries >> Tokat Turkey >> Mosques and medreses in Tokat >> Ali Pasha Mosque > Tokat Ali Pasha Mosque
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09-Sep-2004

Tokat Ali Pasha Mosque

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The central square has two mosques (one small), a post office, an underground shopping area, a very old and large hamam, and provides a good view of the castle. It also has an artificial palm that will light up at dawn in a weird red. In Turhal I saw a green one. Soon every town will have one. By then they should be taken down again.

This is the larger of the two mosques I mentioned, quite good, but I think the Hatuniye is a bit better. Compare the decoration at their entrances.

The main entrance of the Ali Paşa mosque (1572) is richly decorated; white, blue and veined marble were used, under a ceiling of muqarnas (stalactite vaulting, a decoration initiated by the Seljuk).
The double doors are kept open, but the passageway has been closed off by a heavy curtain, to guarantee the intimacy of the mosque’s interior space. These curtains are sometimes made of leather, and can be quite old. This one is made of several layers of black fabric, and adorned with some patchwork and embroidered motifs; it is old too.

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.

Nikon D70
1/30s f/8.0 at 18.0mm iso200 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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