This is the Mehmet Paşa Camii, built in 1486 by Lala Mehmet Paşa, the former educator of Prince Ahmet, the oldest living son of sultan Beyazıt II It is renowned for its marble mimber (pulpit).
urce: ‘Türkiye Tarihi Yerler Kılavuzu’ – M.Orhan Bayrak, Inkılâp Kitabevi, Istanbul, 1994.
This marble minber is one of the finest Ottoman pulpits from the 15th century. Its decoration combines arabesque like branches with leave motifs, edged by geometric patterns producing polygons and stars. On the front of the minber’s ‘door’, a cartouche contains two sentences of the ‘Ayat al Kursi’ verse, which is believed to have protecting effects.
Turkish art historians are surprised that such a splendid piece of work is to be found in a small mosque (its domed prayer hall measures no more than 8,30 x 8,50 m).
Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Source: ‘Vakıf Abideler ve eski Eserler’ - Vakıflar Genel Müdürlüğü, Ankara 1983 .