Kurşunlu (İslampaşa) Camii

Kurşunlu Camii or İslampaşa Camii is an Ottoman-era mosque located in the İslampaşa Neighborhood of the central district of Rize Province. It is regarded as one of the oldest mosques to have survived in the city.

According to the inscription above the entrance door, the mosque was built in 978 AH (1570–1571 CE) by İskender Câfer Paşa. In the early 20th century, during 1326 AH (1908–1909 CE), the mosque underwent a major restoration.

^{Inscription of Kurşunlu Camii (Photograph: Neriman Sena Külünk)}

Constructed in the second half of the 16th century, the mosque played a significant role in Rize’s process of urbanization. The appearance of the term “Mahalle-i Cami-i Şerif” in records dated 1583 indicates that this was the first major place of worship where Muslims could perform Friday prayers. As a result, the İslampaşa Neighborhood developed around the mosque, becoming one of the earliest Muslim settlements outside the castle. For this reason, Kurşunlu Camii was not merely a place of worship but also a defining element in the social and spatial development of Rize.^【1】

Kurşunlu Camii was constructed using rubble stone masonry. It has a rectangular plan with a central dome and sloping roofs on the sides. The exterior of the dome is covered with lead, which is why the building is popularly known as “Kurşunlu Camii” (Lead-covered Mosque).

The wooden final congregation gallery is located on the northern facade. The prayer hall is square in plan and covered by a dome. This dome rests on pendentives and has an octagonal drum with round-arched windows on each side. Each facade of the prayer hall features two windows. The interior space is decorated with penwork ornamentation. The mihrab is made of stone and has a simple design. The minbar is wooden and was added later.

A single-balconied minaret stands at the northwestern corner of the mosque. Access to the minaret is gained from the corner of the prayer hall. The women’s gallery is a section reached via a spiral staircase located to the east of the prayer hall and supported by two wooden posts.

^{Kurşunlu (İslampaşa) Camii (Photograph: Neriman Sena Külünk)}