Yivli Minaret Mosque (Yivli Minare, Turkish name: Yivliminare Cami) is a historical mosque in Antalya, which is known for the detached high minaret of Yivli.
The mosque is also known as the Aladdin Mosque, the Great Mosque or the Grand Mosque (Ulu Camii).
The mosque and minaret are located in the old town of Antalya (Kaleiçi).
The minaret and the mosque were named "Yivli", which means "Fluted", because the minaret consists of eight fluted groups. The minaret is a symbol of Antalya and it is clearly visible from many points of the historical center of the city.
View of the minaret and the Yivli Mosque from the observation deck Republic Square
The minaret and mosque are a Seljuk structure built in the 13th century on a religious building during the reign of Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad I (1220-1237).
The mosque was completely rebuilt in 1337 by Emir Mubarazeddin Mahmet Bey. Subsequently, the mosque and minaret underwent restorations.
Today, the mosque with the minaret is one of the earliest examples of Islamic architecture in Antalya, and the mosque itself is one of the oldest in the city and one of the oldest examples of multi-dome religious construction in Anatolia.
The construction of the Yivli minaret seems to be "cut" by bricks into separate layers and consists of eight half-cylinders decorated with brick and tile mosaic.
The base of the minaret is a stone quadrangle, the upper corners of which are cut off, which is an octagon. This is followed by an octagonal section of the tower, with a decorative niche on each face. In the niches you can see the remains of a mosaic of turquoise and cobalt glass. This is followed by a small circular section of smaller diameter, on which the main and longest corrugated section of the tower is located, tapering upwards. There is a round part of the minaret on the fluted section. Then there are mukarny - an architectural belt under the balcony. The balcony of the minaret (sherefe) is mixed on the mukarnah, above which the upper part of the minaret rises, having a simple cylindrical shape, crowned with a covered lead conical roof.
The height of the minaret is 39.62 meters. Inside the minaret there is a spiral staircase consisting of 92 steps.
The Yivli Mosque, which is located near the minaret, has a rectangular shape, six small domes, arched entrance and small window openings.
This is a functioning mosque, which can also be visited for tourist purposes.
Inside the mosque hall has a dome system, which is supported by powerful pillars with arched ceilings.
A special feature of the mosque is the heating and cooling system, built according to the conditions of the past centuries. This system, consisting of water channels under the mosque, kept the heat using hot water, and cold water was used for cooling. The water came from springs and was stored in a cistern.
The Yivli Minaret Mosque is part of the kulliye - a complex of religious buildings.
Part of the buildings of the complex, located near the mosque and minaret, today are the Mevlevihane Museum (Mevlevihane Müzesi), which consists of the monastery of the Mevlevi dervishes with an exhibition of dervish items and clothing, a hammam, two mausoleums, a cemetery, a madrasah and ruins. More about the museum complex…
Practical information
Entrance to the mosque and the Mevlevihane Museum is free.
Address of Yivli Minaret Mosque: Selçuk, İskele Cd., 07100 Muratpaşa/Antalya, Turkey.
Coordinates of the mosque of the Yivli Minaret: 36°53'11.0"N 30°42'16.0"E (36.886389, 30.704444).
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