The Seljuk-era Van Grand Mosque, located in the ancient city of Van, eastern Türkiye, will be rebuilt in line with its original form as part of ongoing restoration efforts.
The mosque and its minaret, situated in the mosque district south of the Van Castle, which bears traces of numerous civilizations, are undergoing significant restoration under the joint project of the Van Governorate and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism titled "Preserving our cultural heritage for the future."
The project, which aims to revive historical structures in the ancient city of Van, focuses primarily on the 750-year-old Van Grand Mosque, as well as other notable sites such as the Kızıl Minare Mosque and the Miri Granary, all of which will be restored to their former grandeur.
As part of the restoration, a 26-centimeter (10.24-inch) separation was discovered in the mosque's minaret following a static load balance analysis; the minaret's core had lost its strength, prompting the High Council for the Protection of Cultural Properties to order its complete dismantling down to the base.
While some have criticized the decision to dismantle the minaret, the construction company explained that it will rebuild the structure according to its original design as part of the restoration.
Büşra Boz, the architect and project manager of the Van Grand Mosque, informed us that the expected completion date is August 2025. However, the timeline may be extended due to the intricate nature of the work.
Boz explained that a jet grout technique had been applied to counteract ground liquefaction and a drainage system was installed to divert underground water from the structure. "A damage analysis was conducted before drawing the restoration plans, and static load balances were calculated."
She added: "These analyses revealed a 26-centimeter separation in the minaret, and the core had lost its strength. Therefore, the High Council approved the decision to dismantle the minaret down to its base. Due to health and safety concerns, scaffolding could not be erected around the minaret, and there was a risk of collapse during dismantling, so we used a crane to carefully take it down."
She also confirmed that the minaret will be rebuilt using the original fired bricks salvaged during the dismantling, ensuring historical accuracy.
Yılmaz Şentürk, a representative of the contractor, noted that the mosque area had become a haven for alcoholics before the restoration work began. He emphasized that they secured the site and prevented such activities from continuing.
"This is a highly significant project, and once completed, it will restore the mosque to its former splendor. The mosque features a muqarnas dome, a star-vaulted ceiling, and a monumental entrance. It's an exciting project," Şentürk remarked.