The Gazi Atik Ali Pasha Mosque and Complex is situated on Yeniçeriler Street, extending from the tomb of Sultan Mahmud II to Çarşıkapı. The area where the complex was built lies within the boundaries of the Forum of Constantine, which featured an obelisk erected by Constantine I during the Byzantine period. The founder of the complex was Hadım Atik Ali Pasha, a native of Bosnia who was also known by the epithets "Hadım", "Tavaşi", "Şehit", and "Eski". He served twice as Grand Vizier and was martyred in 1511 during the Şah Kulu Rebellion. The foundation deed (vakfiye) of the complex dates to 1509. The mosque is also known historically by various names such as "Sedefçiler", "Eski Ali Paşa", "Çemberlitaş", "Dikilitaş", "Vezirhanı", and "Sandıkçılar Mosque".
The construction of the mosque began in 1496 under the orders of the future Grand Vizier Hadım Atik Ali Pasha and was completed in 1497 during the reign of Sultan Bayezid II. The mosque lacks an original inscription, but the number 1496 was added to the corner of an 1896 inscription bearing a Quranic verse and the signature of Calligrapher Sami Efendi above the door, which can be assumed to be the construction year of the mosque. It is understood that this inscription board was placed after the earthquake of 1894. A basmala dated 1897 is also located on the minaret door.
In terms of architecture, it is more accurate to view this building as a variation of the so-called T-type mosques rather than applying the large central dome plan used in the Üçşerefeli Mosque built 50 years earlier, the Fatih Mosque built 25 years earlier, or the Davutpaşa Mosque built 12 years earlier. This shape may have been chosen in accordance with the wishes of the founder, since the Zincirlikuyu Mosque, also commissioned by Atik Ali Pasha, features a multi-domed plan. A low semi-dome rests on the arch of the central dome facing the mihrab side, while the spaces on the two sides are covered with two domes each.
The exterior of the mosque is entirely built of cut kufi stone with fine and tight joints. Of the six columns of the portico (son cemaat yeri) covered with five domes, four are of marble and two are of porphyry, and the five arches resting on these columns are made of kufi stone. The column capitals feature classical muqarnas ornamentation. The frame of the wide and high doorway is made of marble, encircled on three sides by a wide marble molding, and the top of the door is richly decorated with muqarnas. The dome in front of the door is higher than the others and its interior is entirely covered with malakari decoration. The minaret is a fine example of 15th-century minarets, featuring a thick shaft, a relatively thin and tall spire, and a muqarnas-decorated balcony (şerefe).
The interior of the mosque is completely plastered. On the inner surface of the dome, the pendentives, the springers, the cornices, the arches, and around the upper windows, there are kalem işi (hand-drawn) decorations dating close to the period of construction, though their colors have faded. Both the mihrab and the minbar are made entirely of marble, with the mihrab decorated with muqarnas. Acoustic jars were placed in certain parts of the mosque, as evidenced by the remaining holes. The original interior plaster windows have not survived; they were replaced with concrete pieces during the 1937-38 restoration, except for 13 plaster windows on the mihrab facade which date back to the 18th century.
Throughout history, the structure has suffered from various disasters and interventions. Records indicate that during the 1648 earthquake, the dome of the mosque was completely destroyed and the minaret collapsed up to its balcony. Subsequently, it underwent major repairs following the earthquakes of 1716 and 1766, the Hocapaşa fire of 1865, and the earthquake of 1894. The mosque underwent its last major restoration between 1937 and 1938, followed by a minor repair in 1981. During the 1937-38 restoration, painted stones on the portico arches and deteriorated stones on the outer walls were restored to their original state, and the burned stones of the minaret base and adjacent window were replaced.
According to records in its foundation deed, the complex consisted of a mosque, a madrasa, a soup kitchen (imaret), a dervish lodge (hankah), and a caravanserai. Today, only the mosque and the madrasa remain from this complex, and a portion of the madrasa was cut away during the construction of Divanyolu Street. The hankah is believed to be the building located next to the courtyard entrance gate, which bears a muqakkithane (timekeeper's room) inscription. The imaret was situated beyond the cemetery (hazire); it survived in a ruined state until the beginning of the 20th century, and its last remaining traces were eradicated during the street realignment between 1921 and 1924.
Today, visitors can easily access this monument located along a major thoroughfare in the historic center of Istanbul near Çemberlitaş and the Grand Bazaar. Cemeteries are situated on both the eastern and western sides of the mosque. Because of its location on a main road, many famous individuals were buried here in the past. Additionally, the painter Muhittin Sebati created a work depicting the mosque, securing its place in art and cultural history.
Wikimedia research dossier · Last checked: 2026-09-29 18:57:42
