Eski Imaret Mosque

Welcome to the historic Zeyrek neighborhood, situated on the slopes of the Fourth Hill of Istanbul. This area is recognized as one of the oldest, and historically one of the poorest, working-class districts within the ancient…

Stand outside the mosque and look around at the steep topography of the Zeyrek neighborhood. The location chosen by Empress Anna Dalassena for her grand monastery was not accidental; it was a highly strategic piece of real estate…

The successful sack of Constantinople by the Crusaders in twelve hundred and four initiated a dark, devastating period known as the Latin Occupation, which lasted for nearly six decades. The Crusaders, who were Western European…

Let us examine the architecture of the building itself, which experts consider one of the finest surviving examples of Middle Byzantine design in the city. The Eski Imaret Mosque is built on the classic 'cross-in-square' plan, a…

The final, permanent transformation of this building occurred immediately following the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in fourteen fifty-three by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. Because the city had refused to surrender and was…

As the centuries passed, the grand Fatih Mosque complex was completed, and the 'old' soup kitchen surrounding the Eski Imaret was no longer needed. The monastic outbuildings, built of less durable materials than the…

Before we conclude, let us look at the immediate, densely packed neighborhood that encroaches upon the mosque. Today, apartment buildings press tightly against the ancient brickwork. …

As we conclude our examination of the Eski Imaret Mosque, take a final moment to appreciate the sheer endurance of these ancient bricks. You have stood before a structure that embodies the dramatic, often violent, shifts of power…