Built of cut stone Saray Camii stands proudly in Ünye. It’s a rectangular structure a testament to skilled craftsmanship. This mosque is believed to be Ünye’s oldest surviving mosque. Imagine the builders carefully placing each stone. They were likely unaware of the mosque’s future.
Saray Camii was constructed in 1719 or 1720. A man named Haci Ahmed likely commissioned it. He was possibly a captain of some kind. The mosque was probably known by his name originally. Its current name Saray Camii came later. It was given this name because of its proximity to Süleyman Pasa Sarayı. Palace officials began using it for worship. This explains the name Palace Mosque.
The courtyard of Saray Camii once served as a cemetery. There were approximately twelve graves possibly belonging to Haci Ahmed and his relatives. These graves are sadly gone now. A new project replaced them with toilets. The courtyard also featured a well. This well was filled in during the 1960s to make room for a new ablution fountain.
Saray Camii had a wooden minaret at one time. This minaret was destroyed. It seems this destruction happened during the mosque’s time as a prison. That’s right Saray Camii served as a prison for a period in the early 1940s. Its use as a prison caused quite the stir. In fact a letter from the head of religious affairs in 1946 protested its use as a prison. The current stone minaret was finished in the 1960s.
Saray Camii consists of a main prayer hall and a women’s section. There are several windows on its four sides. Some of these windows feature flower-themed decorations. The mihrab and minbar are made of stone. They are adorned with carved flowers and plant motifs respectively. The building underwent restoration in 2006 and 2007 thanks to the Ministry of Culture. Saray Camii stands as a quiet yet powerful reminder of Ünye’s rich past. It whispers of faith perseverance and the passage of time.