The Beyazıt Paşa Mosque, built in 1414 on initiative of this Grand Vizir of sultan Mehmet I.

On the picture: The building inscription (mentioning date and builder) and a painted muqarnas (stalactite vaulting) above the entrance door.

‘Muqarnas’ is a decoration initiated in Anatolia by the Seljuk (in the 11th – 12th century). They imported it from Iran. Later on it continued to be used in the late-Seljuk architecture of the Beyliks (14th century) and by the Ottomans up to the 19th century.

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Source: ‘Vakıf Abideler ve eski Eserler’ - Vakıflar Genel Müdürlüğü, Ankara 1983.