The mosque dates from the 12th century and may have been built on the spot of a church dedicated to St. Stephen, which itself may have been built on the spot of a synagogue.

The ministry of Culture and Toursim states: "The mosque is the most ancient of the mosques located in the city center of Urfa province. As the structure was an old synagogue, it was transformed into the St. Stephon Church by the Bishop Rabula whom had died between A.D. 435 - 436. The structure was named as the Scarlet Church as there are numerous scarlet colored pillars inside and the mosque was constructed instead of the structure between 1170 - 1175 years by Nurettin Zengi.

The mosque is inside the multi - pedestal mosques group of the Anatolia and is covered with parallel three rows of diagonal vaults at the side showing Mecca and has a rectangular construction plan. The last congregation location covered with diagonal vaults standing on the ranks and opening to a fourteen pointed arched courtyard is initially used at the Şanlıurfa Ulu Mosque in Anatolia. The octagonal bell tower of the structure serves as a minaret nowadays. "