Architecture of Great Mosque of Divrigi, Turkey dazzles

By Halife Yalcinkaya

SIVAS, Turkey

The distinguished 11th century Great Mosque and Hospital of Divrigi in central Turkey gets raves for its splendid architecture, drawing many visitors every year.

Along with the other-worldly Goreme National Park and rock sites of Cappadocia in central Turkey and the historic areas of Istanbul, this masterwork of Islamic architecture is one of Turkey’s first entries on UNESCO’s World Heritage list, in 1985.

The remarkable building in Divrigi in the central Sivas province -- to the east of Ankara, the capital province -- combines a monumental hypostyle (column-supported) mosque with a two-story hospital.

The building of the masterpiece was ordered by the Emir Ahmed Shah of Mengucek in 1228-1229, following the Battle of Malazgirt in 1071, which saw Seljuk Turks led by Sultan Alparslan defeat a Byzantine army and open up Anatolia for Turkish domination.

This unparalleled structure, with its adjoining hospital, boasts a single prayer room and is crowned by two cupolas.

"It has the highly sophisticated technique of vault construction, and a creative, exuberant type of decorative sculpture -- particularly on the three doorways, in contrast to the unadorned walls of the interior," according to UNESCO's website.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency about the thousands of motifs on the building, Nail Ayan, the mosque’s volunteer guide and muezzin --who calls the faithful to prayer--, said: "No motif, no form, is ever repeated."