Firfirli Mosque (12 Apostles Church) Firfirli Mosque, also referred to as the 12 Apostles Church, is a historic structure situated about 400 meters from the well-known Pool of Abraham in the heart of Sanliurfa. Originally built as a church and called the 12 Disciples Church, the building gained a new identity during the Ottoman Period. Locals nicknamed it the "Frilly Church" because of the windmill blades attached to it, which would spin and produce a "frizz" noise whenever the wind blew. Over time, the mosque became popularly known as "Fırfırlı" in the Urfa dialect, meaning 'Frilly.' Historical documents reveal that the "Holy Cross of Varak," a highly important relic for Armenian Christianity originally housed in the Varak Church of Van City, was later transferred to Urfa and exhibited in this church around 1092. While the exact date of the church's construction remains unknown, it must have been erected prior to that year. The structure is designed following a three-aisled basilica layout, where the central nave is crowned with a striking dome supported by a squinch, and the side aisles are covered with cross vaults. The building features 24 windows located on the drum of the central nave. Its construction materials include basalt stone used for the dome and vaults, columns topped with decorative cornices, and exterior walls enhanced by half-columns. Originally serving as a place of worship for Armenians, the building was subsequently repurposed as a prison. Prisoners carved notches into the walls to count the days of their incarceration and commemorate significant events, with some even inscribing their names alongside these marks. An inscription located above the mihrab verifies that the structure was transformed into a mosque in 1956. One of the windows, which was initially part of an apse, was adapted to serve as the mihrab following the mosque conversion. If you have any questions or inquiries regarding Firfirli Mosque (12 Apostles Church), please feel free to contact us at [email protected] or simply message us via Whatsapp, and we will get back to you promptly.