Great Mosque and Hospital of Divrigi The first Turkish building

Great Mosque and Hospital of Divrigi
The first Turkish building inscribed to UNESCO's World Heritage List, the Great Mosque
and Hospital of Divrigi was built in the 13th century by Ahmed Shah and his wife Mellke Turan
of the Principality of Mengucek. Designed by the architect Hurrem Shah, of Ahlat, in 1288, the
Great Mosque of Divrigi is renowned for Its monumental architecture, its hexagonal dome, and
its unique stone carving decorations.
The Great Mosque and Hospital has a plain fagade. Its status as a unique masterpiece rests
on the merits of the stone carving decorations that adorn the great portal of the Hospital, the
northern portal of the Mosque, the western portal of the Mosque and the portal of Shah's dais.
Each and every figure In the decoration is a unique marvel of art and architecture, as well as a
feat of engineering.
Art historians and architects agree that there are no other examples of the three dimensional
and Intricate geometric styles and flowing figures of plants.
Its portals appear to have borrowed from Baroque, Seljuk and Gothic styles, but nevertheless represent a unique and distinct style of their own. All figures carved on the portals and on
the walls were asymmetrical and each square has thousands of stone carved figures. The main
characteristic of the designs featured In the portals is their uniqueness: each is distinct from other decorations. For example, the wreath of life used on the portal on the North fagade Is noteworthy since It depicts a totally imaginary plant world that only existed in the imagination of
the craftsman. As well as portals, all bases, shafts and capitals of the columns, and the Inner surface of the dome, were decorated a different, distinct and unique style.
The Hospital, situated next to the Great Mosque Is, In itself, a masterpiece of stone carving.
It shares the splendid unity of the Great Mosque. The Hospital Is a two-storey building with a
central courtyard surrounded by porticoes, and designed as a hospital where cures included the
soothing sound of flowing water from the fountains.
This exciting stone masterpiece shaped with love is waiting for Its visitors.
Wielki meczet i szpital Divrigi
Położone w Centralnej Anatolii miasteczko Divrigi słynie z przepięknego, odrestaurowanego Wielkiego Meczetu (Ulu Cami) oraz przylegającego do niego szpitala psychiatrycznego (Darüşşifa). Wzniesiony w 1228 roku meczet został ufundowany przez lokalnego emira Ahmeta
Şaha oraz jego żonę Fatmę Turan Melik. Głównym powodem wpisania kompleksu meczetowego na listę UNESCO ( 1985 rok) były ornamentalne bramy, zdobione reliefami z motywami geometrycznymi oraz inskrypcjami w języku arabskim. Sam meczet jest natomiast bardzo prosty w
konstrukcji, z 16 kolumnami oraz fragmentami fresków wewnętrznych.