Kale Mescidi

Erzurum The Kale Mescidi, built adjacent to a semicircular bastion on the southern wall of İçkale, is a monumental structure dating to the Saltuklu period. Recognized as the oldest Islamic structure in the city and Erzurum’s first mosque, the building presents, from the exterior, the appearance of a dominant mausoleum. Functioning simultaneously as a shelter due to its thick cut-stone walls and strategic location, it is among the most important examples reflecting the early architectural synthesis of Anatolian Turkish art and the Saltuklu style.^【1】

History

Academic sources present differing views regarding the exact construction date and founder of the mosque. It is recorded that the structure, along with the Tepsi Minare, was commissioned by Saltuklu Emir Muzafferüddin Gazi and constructed between 1132 and 1134.^【3】 Another dating, based on architectural and decorative features in art historical literature, attributes the structure to the reign of Saltuklu Emir Ebü’l-Muzaffer (1189–1197).^【4】

During its historical evolution, the structure underwent various repairs. Evliya Çelebi noted during his visit in 1610 that no congregation was present in the mosque.^【5】 For a long period, the building served as a storage facility. According to data from the Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality and the Directorate of Communications, restoration works were completed on 21 July 2022, leading to its revival. During restoration excavations, areas beneath the ground surrounding the mosque—believed to include a furnace, dungeon, and rooms—were uncovered. The first Friday prayer after restoration was held on 15 August 2025, with the participation of civil and administrative authorities.^【6】

^{Kale Mescidi} (Anadolu Ajansı)

Architectural Structure

The Kale Mescidi has a rectangular plan measuring 14.70 x 10.60 meters, oriented north-south.^【7】 The structure is entirely built of finely cut stone and has a capacity for approximately 150 worshippers.^【8】

^{Kale Mescidi İç Tasarımı}(Erzurum Valiliği)

Interior Space and Roofing System

The interior space is divided into two transverse sections (nave areas) by two thick piers arranged in an "L" shape parallel to the mihrab. The entrance area is covered by a cross vault, while the square unit in front of the mihrab is surmounted by a high dome; the sides of these main sections are extended by pointed arches.^【9】 The transition to the dome is achieved through pendentives, and the base of the dome is decorated internally with muqarnas and corbelled friezes. Additionally, four small window openings align with the main axes of the dome.

Mihrab and Interior Decorations

The mihrab on the qibla wall is a deep and wide niche set within the semicircular bastion of the fortress.^【10】 The niche is framed externally by a simple molded profile and internally by a border of hexagonal patterns. A new niche with muqarnas squinches was later inserted into the mihrab, and fragments of naskh script inscriptions, believed to have been brought from other structures, were added above it. On the right pier relative to the entrance, a simple muqarnas mihrabiye is present; on either side of the mihrab niche, small arched square niches serve as decorative elements.^【11】

Roofing System and Exterior Decoration

The most distinctive feature of the exterior is the tall cylindrical drum crowned with a conical spire, forming a tambour structure that covers the internal dome. On the cylindrical body, sixteen slender, pointed decorative arches are arranged in rows created by kavals.^【12】 Every third arch is followed by a fourth arch, on whose surface a shell-shaped muqarnas niche is carved to soften the massiveness of the facade.

The surface of the conical spire is adorned with rows of diminishing decorative arches, created by fine kavals, running from top to bottom. This style resembles the funerary monuments of the Cimcime Sultan and Üç Kümbet in Erzurum, reflecting the architectural character of the 12th-century Saltuklu period.^【13】 The entrance door and windows on the north façade feature simple molded frames and pointed arch lintels; above the entrance, an additional small rectangular window opening is present.^【14】