“Who built this beautiful small mosque?” you might ask. Bezzazi Cedit Camii also known as Merdivenli Mescid is right here. Let me share its story with you.
Bezzazi Cedit Camii is a hidden gem in Istanbul. It whispers tales of cloth merchants and Ottoman history.
In the 16th century, Ali Pasha built this mosque. He was a man of importance. He worked as a “Sır Katibi” in Enderun. Later he became a vizier. Ali Pasha was known as Bezzazi Cedid. This means “new cloth merchant”.
Interestingly the architect of Bezzazi Cedit Camii remains unknown. After its construction the building served as a dyehouse for a while. Can you imagine prayers and dyeing processes happening in the same place?
Later the Bezzazi Cedit Camii fell into disrepair. It was even used as a factory during the Second World War. The factory produced coarse butcher paper and later became a yarn dyeing factory. The minaret was once used as a factory chimney until it was torn down.
Locals worried about its fate. They helped restore it in 1965. Bezzazi Cedit Camii was returned to its original purpose.
Before 1921 Bezzazi Cedit Camii was open for worship. It was then excluded from the Evkaf payroll. Evkaf is a kind of religious foundation.
The mosque was rented out as a residence. Then it became a factory. In 1957 and 1958 it was emptied again. It was intended to be a mosque again.
The Bezzazi Cedit Camii stands today. It is a testament to faith and community spirit. The story of Bezzazi Cedit Camii reminds us that even small buildings can have a big history. They are filled with stories of people and perseverance.