The Allaeddin Camii (Mosque of Sultan Allaeddin) was Ankara’s first mosque. It was built inside the second walls, in the socalled inner castle. Although is it named after Alaeddin I Keykubad (1220-1237), the Seljuk sultan ruling from his capital city Konya, the inscription on the minber (pulpit) give ‘Hicri 574’ (= 1178 AD) as building date, and Muhiddin Mesut Şah as builder; he was a son of Kılıçaslan II (1156-1192), and thus an uncle of Allaeddin I. The mosque underwent three major restorations: in 1361 and 1434 (by the Ottomans and attested by two cornerstones), and in 1954. As a result, most of the original features of the mosque were lost.

The wooden minber (pulpit) is the real treasure of the mosque: dated 1178, and even signed by the artisan who made it: ‘Ebubekir oğlu Ibrahim Usta’ (= Master Ibrahim, son of Ebubekir).

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Source: ‘Türkye Tarihi Yerler Kılavuzu’ – M.Orhan Bayrak, Inkılâp Kitabevi, Istanbul, 1994.