The Great Mosque of DiyarbakırPlaces to Visit in Diyarbakir

The Great Mosque of Diyarbakır holds a prominent place in Anatolian history and is considered one of the oldest mosques in the region. After the Muslim forces captured Diyarbakır in 639, a church within the city was temporarily converted into a mosque. Later, it was reconstructed by Seljuk Sultan Malikshah between 1091 and 1097 CE (484 AH), as evidenced by an inscription found at the site. Over the centuries, the mosque experienced various modifications due to natural calamities and reconstruction efforts by successive rulers, shaping it into its present form.

The mosque includes a rectangular courtyard measuring approximately 63 by 30 meters, surrounded by arcades on the east and west sides, with later additions on the north side, and a single-aisled prayer hall located on the south side. Moreover, a spacious stone-paved public area now extends in front of the mosque’s main portal and its original entrance.

It is important to note that several elements of the Diyarbakır mosque closely mirror those of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, built over fifty years earlier. The dimensions of the prayer halls in both mosques are strikingly alike, as are their entrances and overall layouts. Considering the Umayyad Mosque is recognized as one of the earliest mosques in Islamic history, it is understandable that its architectural design influenced many subsequent mosques.

In 1115/509 AH, the Great Mosque of Diyarbakır was restored following damage caused by a fire and earthquake. Inscriptions found on the west courtyard wall from 1117-1118/511 AH, as well as another on the east side dated 1162/557 AH, document some of these renovation efforts.

The mosque’s construction utilized both locally sourced basalt stones and reclaimed materials from Byzantine structures. Remarkably, the building incorporates ancient columns, capitals decorated with vine scroll motifs, and fragments of Greek inscriptions, highlighting the practice of spolia—the reuse of older architectural elements—in the region.

In 1890, an octagonal fountain for ablutions was installed at the center of the mosque’s courtyard. Today, the Ulu Mosque continues to stand as a prominent landmark in Anatolia, accompanied by two theological schools and various other buildings within its vicinity.

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