What if I told you that this very mosque was once lost to time? I am talking about the Gaysunizade Mehmet Efendi Camii. It stands here in Istanbul’s Sütlüce neighborhood.
Let’s journey back to 1566. The renowned Mimar Sinan built the original Gaysunizade Mehmet Efendi Camii. Gaysunizade Mehmet Efendi commissioned it. He was a chief physician. He was also an important figure in medical history.
Over time the Gaysunizade Mehmet Efendi Camii fell into disrepair. Squatters occupied the site. They built shanty houses around it. It seemed the mosque would be lost forever.
But the story of the Gaysunizade Mehmet Efendi Camii does not end there. In 1996, the Beyoğlu municipality stepped in. They collaborated with the Bademlik Camii Science and Service Foundation. Together they demolished the illegal houses. The Gaysunizade Mehmet Efendi Camii was rebuilt true to its original design. In 1997, it reopened for worship.
The Gaysunizade Mehmet Efendi Camii has a single minaret with one balcony. The mosque covers 150 square meters. This is on a 650 square meter plot. Its roof is wood and tile.
A muezzin kayyım serves at the Gaysunizade Mehmet Efendi Camii. The complex includes staff housing and restrooms. There is also a fountain and mortuary. In its courtyard are the graves of Gaysunizade Mehmet Efendi and his son Mahmut Efendi.
Gaysunizade Mehmet Efendi was no ordinary man. He served as chief physician. He was also a scholar of law. He even embalmed Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent’s body. This was after the sultan’s death during the Siege of Szigetvár. His internal organs were removed. They were buried at the Gül Baba Tomb.
Kaysunizade was highly respected. Even viziers allowed him to ride his horse. This was even in areas where they had to walk. He passed away two years after Selim II ascended the throne. This was around August 1568 due to diarrhea.
After his death, physicians and head physicians were buried here. The Gaysunizade Mehmet Efendi Camii stands as a testament to resilience. It honors a remarkable man. It also preserves a piece of Istanbul’s history.