Whispers of history echo within these walls. The story of \u0130skender Pa\u015fa Camii begins in the late 15th or early 16th century. \u0130skender Pa\u015fa himself a vizier under Bayezid II. He endowed this mosque in 1505-06. He lived during the time of Mehmed the Conqueror. \u0130skender Pa\u015fa was a native of \u00c7akall\u0131 village of Vize. He died in 1507. It is assumed that the mosque was built around that time.
Interestingly \u0130skender Pa\u015fa Camii has another name. It is also known as Terkim Masjid. This name comes from the Janissary barracks. These barracks were once situated nearby.
Through the centuries \u0130skender Pa\u15fa Camii has seen many changes. It was repaired in 1756. Further restorations took place in 1887 1945 and 1956. In 1989 a two-story annex was added. This expanded the prayer room by 360 square meters. Disaster struck in 1999 during the \u0130zmit earthquake. The minaret’s spire fell. It damaged the main dome considerably. Major repairs were undertaken in 2006.
Two gates welcome visitors into the mosque courtyard. These are located to the north and south. Course rooms surround the courtyard. A newly built marble shadirvan stands in the center.
Notice the portico. It is 4.25 meters deep. Three pointed arches open to it. Four columns support three domes. The column capitals are from Byzantine times. However they lost their original form during repairs. A mihrab is on the left side of the portico. Marble muqarnas decorate the entrance.
The mosque itself has a square plan. It measures 10.90 meters by 10.90 meters. A single dome covers the space. Ashlar stones form the walls. The dome rests on a dodecagonal squinch. Each of the four sides has a window.
Look at the windows. Two rows run along both sides of the mosque. The lower windows are rectangular. The upper windows are slightly arched. Hand-carved decorations enclose all windows. These are colored white on blue.
The mihrab is made of soft limestone. It is adorned with muqarnas. The minbar is a more recent addition made of wood. The marble pulpit stands nearby. A wooden upper mahfil stretches along the entrance side. Six twin wooden masts support it. Originally a marble staircase led to the upper mahfil. It was replaced with a wooden staircase inside the harem. Quran ayah inscriptions are painted in the dome’s center. These are enclosed in hand-carved ornaments.
The minaret stands adjacent to the portico wall. Its entrance is inside the portico. Ashlar stone was used in its construction. The base has a square plan. The shaft is polygonal-formed. A single balcony features muqarnas underpart. A red-colored stone belt wraps around under the balcony. The spire of the minaret has been restored.
\u0130skender Pa\u015fa Camii also has significance beyond architecture. Mehmet Zahit Kotku a Sheikh of the Naqshbandi order served as imam here. He made the mosque a center for his followers. They were known as the Community of \u0130skenderpa\u015fa.
Many prominent Islamist politicians were among Kotku’s followers. These included Recai Kutan Necmettin Erbakan Turgut \u00d6zal S\u00fcleyman Demirel and Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan. The Naqshbandi order played an important role in Turkish political life under Kotku.
Even after Kotku’s death in 1980 \u0130skender Pa\u015fa Camii remains a center for the Naqshbandi Order. The neighborhood around the mosque is highly desirable. Religious people favor living close by. This allows them to attend prayers regularly. It also lets them participate in the order’s community. Property prices here are exceptionally high. \u0130skender Pa\u015fa Camii stands as a testament to history faith and community in Istanbul.