Architecture edit

The northern and southern walls of the mosque bend inwards from a point near the center of each, shaping it into a trapezoid. [1] The eastern and western walls bend outwards from north to south. The western wall contains three entrances. The mausoleum portion of the mosque contains two tomb towers, one built by Kilij Arslan II with portions of remaining blue tile work on the roof. [2] The mosque utilizes different design techniques. The Seljuks of Rum incorporated the Ablaq technique, a distinct style also found in Syria. [3] The mosque also has Byzantium influence seen with the presence of Spolia, reusing the Roman columns to fit the hypostyle ground plan.North of the qibla wall and south of the two tomb towers is a dome which covers the mihrab area. On the eastern wall stands a minaret from the Ottoman period. The Ottomans made alterations to the mosque such as with the addition of a newer entrance and a marble mihrab from 1891.[4] The minbar present inside the mosque is the earliest piece belonging to the Rum Seljuk.

 
The blue tile work and Ablaq technique seen in the mausoleum and exterior portion of the mosque extends into its interior, as seen in its Mihrab.

Inscriptions edit

The entrance in use today has an inscription designated to the completion of the mosque to Sultan Alaeddin in the year 617 H.[5] To the right of it is the inscription of the same sultan as the builder of both the mosque and the mausoleum portion. The Syrian craftsman Muhammad ben Khaulan of Damascus is also included on a separate stone. The inscriptions in the facade show Alaeddin’s name, Izzeddin Keykavus , and the Atabeg who was responsible for the construction of the mosque during both Alaeddin’s and Izzedeinn’s reign. Izzeddin was responsible for constructing the congregational portion of the mosque. [2]

Around the base of the roof the tomb tower with the remaining blue tile works, is an inscription of the throne verse from the Qur’an.

 
Inscriptions outside the main facade of the mosque.

History edit

Anatolia witnessed an increase in the scale and production of building activity during the early thirteenth century due to unification of eastern and central Anatolia on behalf of the sultans.[6]

In 1945, the ownership of the mosque was administered by the Ministry of Education, adapting it to a museum along with the Karatay Madrasah. Up until 1951, the ownership of the mosque was given to the General Directorate of Pious Endowments (Vakıflar Genel Müdürlüğü)[7]. The following year, the mosque utilization returned to worship. Disputes continued since the Alaeddin courtyard was owned by General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums (Eski Eserler ve Müzeler Genel Müdürlüğü)[8].

Conservation edit

The Alaeddin mosque conservation process is much different than other monuments in Konya; it underwent a series of interventions. Efforts towards its repair process did not begin until the end of the Second World war period, its usage had transformed to a storage for army equipment.[8] During the four year repair process, the changes that took place in the mosque include adding lead sheets, heavy concrete slabs with waterproof layering on the dome of the western section.[9]

  1. ^ Redford, Scott (1991). "The Alaeddin Mosque in Konya Reconsidered". Artibus Asiae. 51: 55 – via JSTOR.
  2. ^ a b Redford, Scott (1991). "The Alaeddin Mosque in Konya Reconsidered". Artibus Asiae. 51: 56 – via JSTOR.
  3. ^ Redford, Scott (1991). "The Alaeddin Mosque in Konya Reconsidered". Artibus Asiae. 51: 71 – via JSTOR.
  4. ^ Redford, Scott (1991). "The Alaeddin Mosque in Konya Reconsidered". Artibus Asiae. 51: 55 – via JSTOR.
  5. ^ Lamb, Dorothy (2013). "Notes on Seljouk Buildings at Konia". Cambridge University Press. 21: 32–33 – via JSTOR.
  6. ^ Howard Crane and Lorenz Korn (2017). Turko‐Persian Empires between Anatolia and India. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons. pp. 334–335. ISBN 9781119068570.
  7. ^ Önge, Mustafa. "Conservation of Cultural Heritage on Alaeddin Hill in Konya from the 19th Century to Present Day." 183. Unpublished Ph.D Thesis from Metu, 2011.
  8. ^ a b Önge, Mustafa. "Conservation of Cultural Heritage on Alaeddin Hill in Konya from the 19th Century to Present Day." 184. Unpublished Ph.D Thesis from Metu, 2011.
  9. ^ Önge, Mustafa. "Conservation of Cultural Heritage on Alaeddin Hill in Konya from the 19th Century to Present Day." 214. Unpublished Ph.D Thesis from Metu, 2011.