Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha Mosque is located in the Cerrahpaşa neighborhood of Istanbul’s Fatih district, at the intersection of Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha and Kızılelma streets. The mosque was commissioned by Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha—who served as grand vizier during the reign of Sultan Mahmud I—and was built between 1734 and 1735 (Hijri 1147) under the supervision of Çuhadar Ömer Ağa and Hacı Mustafa Ağa. A prominent statesman of the period, Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha, was known for his philanthropic works and also had fountains and dervish lodges constructed in various parts of Istanbul.

Historical Background

The construction of the mosque took place shortly after the Tulip Era, and it was built according to classical Ottoman architectural principles. It was designed as part of a külliye (social-religious complex) to meet both religious and social needs. The mosque and its surrounding structures functioned within the framework of the waqf (foundation) system and aimed to serve the community’s needs for worship, education, and basic services.

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Architectural Features

The Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha Mosque is constructed from cut küfeki limestone. Its prayer hall has a nearly square rectangular layout. A large central dome, supported by six pillars, crowns the structure, and six semi-domes are placed on the qibla side to reinforce it. This architectural arrangement reflects the classical layout seen in Ottoman mosques.

The mihrab and minbar within the prayer hall are made of marble. Above the entrance door is a marble inscription penned by Enderunlu Servet Osman Efendi. The mosque is accessed from the north through a colonnaded courtyard featuring arches and columns. A şadırvan (ablution fountain) is located at the center of this courtyard. The mosque has a single-balcony minaret in classical style. On the northern side stands a hünkâr kasrı (royal loge), reserved for state officials as a private prayer area.

Components of the Külliye

The Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha Complex includes not only the mosque but also a tekke (Abdal Yâkub Lodge), a library, a tomb, a sebil (public water fountain), a şadırvan, and several fountains.

• The library, located on the upper floor of the mosque’s entrance façade, was opened in 1740. It originally housed 299 manuscripts, some of which are now preserved in the Süleymaniye Manuscript Library and the mosque’s own collection.
• The tomb, located in the courtyard, belongs to Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha himself.
• The sebil, accessible from the street, was designed for public water distribution.
• The şadırvan is situated in the central part of the mosque courtyard.
• Several fountains were strategically placed throughout the complex, serving both functional and aesthetic purposes.

Although some parts of the complex have not survived, the mosque, tomb, sebil, library, and şadırvan remain intact and in use today.

Restoration Works

In 1986, the tomb and sebil of the mosque were faithfully restored with the support of the local congregation. In 2023, a fountain within the complex was restored by the Fatih Municipality. During this process, the façade’s plasterwork was cleaned, non-original cement additions were removed and replaced with authentic stones, and structural issues were addressed. In the same year, the mosque entrance gate’s damaged stones were repaired and reinstalled. Restoration of the outer courtyard gate is currently in the tendering phase.