Ahmet Gazi Camii

Ahmet Gazi Camii (also known as Ulu Cami) is a historical place of worship from the Menteşe Beylik period, located in Eski Çine Village, Çine District, Aydın Province. The structure, situated approximately 10 km from the district center along the Çine–Muğla road, is regarded as the oldest known mosque in Aydın Province and one of the earliest Turkish Ulu mosques in Western Anatolia.

No inscriptive foundation tablet exists with definitive information regarding the construction date or founder of the mosque. However, endowment records dated 1308 indicate that the building was constructed in the first half of the 14th century. ^【1】 Although commonly associated in literature with the name of Menteşeoğlu Ahmet Gazi Bey, the foundation deed predates his period of rule (before 1375), leading scholars to conclude that the original founder was likely Hızır Bey, son of Menteşeoğlu Orhan Bey.

Ahmet Gazi Bey is believed to have undertaken extensive repairs and restoration of the structure in the second half of the 14th century (after 1375), established new endowments, and thereby caused the mosque to become widely known by his name.

The mosque features a square-plan, single-volume design. Measuring 19.70 x 19.65 meters externally, its walls are 1.70 meters thick and the total floor area is approximately 400 m².^【2】 The construction employs cut stone with rubble infill. The building is notable for lacking additional units such as a rear prayer space or portico on its exterior facade.

Ahmet Gazi Camii is among the largest domed structures of its era in Anatolia, featuring a dome approximately 17 meters in diameter.^【3】

• Dome Structure and Transition Elements: The mosque is distinguished by its massive hemispherical dome, approximately 17 meters in diameter. The dome rests on a double-layered, twelve-sided drum externally clad with tiles. Internally, the transition from the square base to the circular dome is achieved through pierced squinches (pointed arches with triangular interiors) rising from the mid-level of the walls and forming large niches at the corners. These squinch arches rest on muqarnas corbels at their lower sections.
• Interior Space and Decoration: The interior walls are simply finished with plain plaster, devoid of ornamental embellishment. The most prominent artistic feature is the wooden pulpit, crafted using the kündekari technique. The pulpit is adorned with geometric patterns, stylized vegetal motifs, and pierced carvings. Verses from the Qur’an and hadiths concerning Friday prayer and worship etiquette, inscribed in thuluth script, decorate the balustrade and mirror panel. A wooden gallery, supported by wooden pillars, is located above the northern entrance.
• Lighting and Entrances: The structure is illuminated by a total of thirteen windows: four on the upper level and nine on the lower. Two marble-framed entrance doors exist: one on the north (main entrance) and one on the east.
• Staircase-Minaret: Adjacent to the eastern facade is a twenty-step staircase-minaret, an original feature of Menteşe Beylik architecture. However, this structure deteriorated over time and was completely removed in recent decades.

The mosque has undergone numerous restorations throughout its history, notably in 1322/1904, 1978, and 1990. These interventions, carried out by the General Directorate of Foundations, addressed the exterior facade, the dome drum, and interior plastering. In 2017, the Aydın Regional Board for the Protection of Cultural Heritage evaluated new conservation and restoration proposals for the site. Today, the structure functions as a cultural heritage site open to both worship and visitation.