I wrote earlier that Turkish restoration can lack subtlety, and during a 2014 visit I was torn between being impressed by the restoration activities around the Hacı Bayram mosque and being abhorred by the Disneylandish quality of some of the result. This result however seemed to be much appreciated by the visitors, and I feel a tourist attraction has been created that will attract many of the bus loads of Turks I increasingly see all over the country, visiting their "past" (which is brand new in many cases).
From a viewer:
On the picture: (from left to right) a ‘vaaz kürsüsü’, a ‘mihrab’ and a ‘minber’, that make it possible to turn the large public square into an open air mosque during mass meetings. The three pieces of islamic furniture were made of white marble and executed in (Neo) Classical Ottoman style.
Mihrab = a semicircular niche that indicates the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying.
Minber = a pulpit where the imam (prayer leader) stands to deliver sermons.
Minber and ‘vaaz kürsüsü’ are both pulpits, from where sermons are given. The difference is that the minber is obligatory for the ‘Friday sermon’, held during the most important common prayer of Islamic week. All other sermons can be held from the smaller ‘kürsü’.
Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Source: (amongst others) Vikipedia.