Yeni Cami (Mytilene)

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Entrance hall of the mosque with portico

The Yeni Cami ('New Mosque', Greek Γενί Τζαμί Geni Tzami ) is a historic Ottoman mosque in Mytilini on the island of Lesbos in Greece . It is the largest and last built mosque in Mytilene.

location

The Yeni Cami is located on the odos Ermou ('Hermes Street') in Epano Skala in the middle of the former Turkish market in the old Turkish quarter of Mytilene . Epano Skala is located north of the modern city center and west of the old port. The Muslim cemetery and the Turkish bath Tsarsi Hamam ( Τσαρσί Χαμάμ ) are in the immediate vicinity of the New Mosque .

History and architecture

Lesbos ( Midilli in Turkish ) was under Ottoman rule between 1462 and 1912 and had a sizable Muslim population. The mosque was commissioned by the local governor ( nazır ), Kulaksızzade Mustafa Ağa, in 1825 . In addition, a medrese was built in the courtyard of the mosque by order of Hajji Muhammad , while the residence of the mufti was built on the north side of the courtyard. The building, which combines elements of Byzantine and Ottoman architecture , was constructed of stone with a tiled domed roof.

After the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in the early 1920s, the Turkish population left the city and the mosque lost its community. Greek refugees from Turkey were housed in the mosque . The roof was later demolished and the building materials sold. Only the base of the former minaret remains; it was on the northwest corner, about 30 meters high, and towered over the cathedral's bell tower. During the Greek military dictatorship , the mosque was supposed to be completely demolished.

Conservation measures have been carried out since 2000, and the building is used for cultural events such as theater performances and exhibitions. In 2011, 35 volunteers, members of the citizens' initiative group Aeolistas , cleaned the severely neglected mosque. Mayor Spiros Galinos has now announced that the mosque will be restored with the help of EU funds. [outdated]

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Athina-Christina Loupou: Γενί Τζαμί Μυτιλήνης: Περιγραφή . Greek Ministry of Culture, accessed July 9, 2014 (Greek).
  2. ↑ Yeni Cami. Midilli Adası Rehberi, accessed July 8, 2014 (Turkish).
  3. ↑ Newspaper Aiolika Nea ( Αιολικά Νέα ) ( Memento from October 2, 2018 in the Internet Archive ), January 23, 2009, Greek
  4. ↑ Midilli'deki tarihi camiye komşu bakımı . In: CNN Turk . April 21, 2011, accessed July 8, 2014 (Turkish).
  5. ↑ (Görüntülü Haber) Midilli Adası'ndali Tarihi Yeni Cami'ye Restorasyon Müjdesi . In: Doğan News Agency . June 18, 2014, accessed July 8, 2014 (Turkish).

Coordinates: 39 ° 6 ′ 40 ″  N , 26 ° 33 ′ 11 ″  E