Overview Photos Google Map Plan of the Complex Links

Construction year: 1569-1570

The city it is located in: Kırklareli

The borough it is located in: Lüleburgaz

The neighbourhood it is located in: Central Lüleburgaz

Address: İstanbul Avenue, Lüleburgaz, Kırklareli

How to reach the place: It is located in central Lüleburgaz, across from the Lüleburgaz Government Building.

Monument type: Mosque

The function today: Mosque

The ownership: Directorate of Pious Foundations

The bibliography that link the building to Sinan: TE, TB, TM

Information about the monument: Part of the Sokullu Mehmet Pasha Complex, the Mosque is the most significant building here. The Complex included mosque, madrasa, caravanserai, and imaret buildings. Even though the Foundation Charter also mentions the existence of a tannery, a boys’ school, and a bathhouse, only the mosque, madrasa, and the bathhouse are standing today. This was the most impressive of the Complexes built as stopping posts along the Istanbul-Edirne road. Its original design became an example for others of this type built in later years. A large prayer dome in the center separated the religious and the daily living spaces from one another. The merchants of the bazaar met under this dome every day, for morning prayer, before opening their shops. The caretaker of the caravanserai sent the travelers, who spent the night there, on their journey, with a small ceremony under the big dome. Only about half of the Sokullu Mehmet Pasha Market (Arasta), that had this dome at its center, is standing today, still used as a commercial public facility. The caravanserai has largely disappeared, except for two rooms behind the prayer dome. The Mosque has a square plan; its exterior was enriched with weight towers larger than the usual size for these. Its interior has lost most of its original decorations and calligaphy, but the majestic dome and the mimbar continue to create quite an impressive spatial experience. The minaret resembles the classical period; however, it was destroyed during the Bulgarian occupation of 1910-12 and rebuilt in 1934. The Department of Pious Foundations restored the mosque and the madrasa buildings during 1952-68. Since it is one of the most important mosques of Lüleburgaz, it is always open to public use during daytime.

The other monuments of Sinan similar to this building: Sokollu Mehmet Paşa Bridge (Lüleburgaz), Sokollu Mehmet Paşa Madrasa (Lüleburgaz), Sokollu Mehmet Paşa Caravanserai (Lüleburgaz), Sokollu Mehmet Paşa Bath House (Lüleburgaz),

The other monuments similar to this building:

Last Update: 2.12.2015

Comments: Click here to read comments about this monument.