Gaziantep Off The Beaten Path

The major mosques of the city are Þeyh Fethullah Mosque, Boyacý Mosque, Ömeriye Mosque and Ahmet Çelebi Mosque. The Kendirli Church, which was constructed by the French Missionaries with the assistance of Napoleon III in 1860 is important and should be visited. The Mausoleums of St. Ökkeþiye, Prophet Yuþa and St. Pirsefa are beautiful creations and are worth seeing.

ÞEYH FETHULLAH MOSQUE AND KULLIYE (Lower Þeyh Mosque, Center)


It is the most important ancient structure in Gaziantep, and at Þehreküstü District. According to its inscriptions, kulliye is composed of mosque, zaviye, hamam and theology school. We can also add the “castel”, which is another element of today’s kulliye, which has no theology school, and still active, to this complex.

Mosque, which gather first period Ottoman mosque plan perceptiveness successfully but with a different composition, has an important place within Turkish - Islam architecture especially with its dome.
There is a hand written Holy Koran, written by Þeyh Fettullah within the mosque.



BOYACI MOSQUE (Center)



It is the oldest mosque of Gaziantep, and constructed by Boyacý Yusuf and Kadý kemalettin on 1357. Mosque, which belongs to Turkish Memluks, is very rich in connection with marble and tile adornments. Wooden balcony, which is the oldest sample of wooden craft of Gaziantep, has twelve branched stars, which are adorned with pelmet, rosette and geometric motifs.



ÖMERÝYE MOSQUE (Center)


It is written in the records that Gaziantep's Düðmeci District present mosque is repaired on 1210. It is told that mosque, which is not clearly known that by whom it is constructed, is constructed by Emevi Caliph, Ömer Bin Abdülaziz, grandson of Hz. Ömer, from his daughter, during Hz. Ömer period. Another name of the mosque is 'Ömereyn' meaning 'two Ömers'.

On the parapets of minaret balcony, beautiful samples of the stone masonry can be seen.



AHMET ÇELEBÝ MOSQUE (Center)



It is at the Ulucanlar District. Founder of the mosque is Hacý Osmanoðlu Þeyh Ramazan Efendi, one of the descendants of the prophet. It is a kulliye, composed of theology school, mosque and castel. It is understood from its inscription that it is constructed on 1672. Wooden craftsmanship is interesting.



PROHHET YUSHA (Peace be upon Him) MAUSOLEUM (Center)



Yuþa Peygamber is one of the sons of Ýsrail, and niece of Hz. Musa. He had saved Ýsrail oðullarý from nomadic life and put them in Arzý Kenan. There are two mausoleums within two chambers of this building, which is at the Boyacý district, Pir Sefa site. One of these belongs to Yuþa prophet and other one belongs to Pir Sefa hazretleri.


PIR SEFA HAZRETLERÝ MAUSOLEUM (Center)



Pir Sefa hazretleri and Yuþa prophet is lying at the same place. Mausoleum of Pir Sefa is five stages below surface. According to the rumors; Pir Sefa, become the mausoleum protector of Hz. Yuþa, and buried here when he deceased. According to another rumor, Pir Sefa is from Medine and from ensar. During the conquer of Gaziantep by Muslims, he had come here under the commandership of Hz. Ali, and while fighting with Karaçomak side by side, his body is divided into two and become martyr. Then he is buried beside Hz. Ömer Yuþa, and told that 'I made him neighbor to his Prophet Ziþan '.



OKKASHIYE HAZRETLERI MAUSOLEUM (Nurdagi)



Mausoleum, which is on a hill at south east of Nurdaðý province, is 17 kilometers away from Gözlühöyük. It is told that Ökkeþiye hazretleri was one of the five martyrs, who died during the conquer of Gaziantep and environs during Hz. Ömer period.




RUMKALE (Yavuzeli)


Greek castle, which is in the Kasaba village of Yavuzeli province of city of Gaziantep, is at the intersection point of Fýrat River and Merzimen stream. It is thought that it is constructed on 840 B. C. during late Hittite period. It is told that one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ, Johannes (Yuhenna) had turned the Greek Castle into a center during Roman period, and maintained the spread of Christianity to Gaziantep environment. Rumour has it that the draft of the Bible of Yuhenna was kept in a secret room engraved to rock in the castle and then smuggled to Beirut.It is also told that cemetery of Yuhenna is within the castle and for this reason it is a holy place.