Boğaziçi Mosque in southwestern Denizli province’s Baklan district stands out with its decorative ceiling, arch, column, gate and minbar (Islamic pulpit). The motifs drawn on the walls of the mosque are examples of ancient Turkish woodcraft and decorative art.
Estimated to have been built in 1767, the mosque with its rectangular plan, three naves and historic decorations is a visual feast. You enter through a gate adorned in wooden geometric shapes before reaching the interior where the walls, ceilings and wooden columns are covered in rich hand-drawn illustrations.
The mosque is connected by arches decorated with floral designs, produced in Turkey’s western province of Bursa. Herbal motifs can be found on the columns and in carpentry. Tree motifs nestle in the corners as images of clove, cypress and hyacinth line the walls with a heavy reliance on the colors green, red and blue. Depictions of heaven and hell on the walls of the mosque harken back to Anatolian Seljuk architecture and the decorative art of the time.
Mehmet Doğuş, president of the Boğaziçi Mosque Construction and Memorial Association, stated that the place of worship is a cultural treasure, adding that the mosque attracts many visitors not just worshippers. “There was a time this place risked collapse in the past. It has been restored and fortified in recent years. Friday prayer and daily prayers are performed here now. The motifs in the mosque were made with the use of madder dye. There are depictions
of heaven and hell on the walls and scale decorations symbolizing justice along with flower decorations. It is a very rich place in terms of culture. There are many visitors coming to see this place. Those who see the mosque are amazed,” he stated.
“I have been to many places in the Aegean region. But this is the most beautiful mosque I have ever seen. The motifs and woodwork are very beautiful here. It is a perfect and peaceful place. When I prayed here, I felt rested and at peace,” said Halil Ağcakan, a worshipper in the mosque.
