Osmaniye Mosque Explained

Building Name:Osmaniye Mosque
Location:Chios, Greece
Religious Affiliation:Islam
Functional Status:Inactive,
Used for culture and art purposes,
Demands and efforts to make active
Architecture Type:Religious
Architecture Style:Ottoman architecture
Minaret Quantity:1
Length:25m
Width:15m

Osmaniye Mosque (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Τζαμί Οσμανιγιέ, Turkish: Osmaniye Camii), also locally called Frangomachala Mosque (Τζαμί του Φραγκομαχαλά, "Mosque of the Frankish Quarter") is one of the three remaining mosques on the island of Chios, Greece, located inside the old citadel area of Chios town, which was the main neighborhood of the Turkish community of the island.

History

The mosque's construction started in 1891 on the orders of Sultan Abdülhamit II, when Chios city was serving as the capital of the Vilayet of the Archipelago. The construction was completed in 1892. The marble inscription (kitâbe) over the door of the mosque mentions this information. It was prepared by the Turkish artist Feyzî.

Recent

The mosque was officially registered by Greek Ministry of Culture as a cultural landmark on January 21, 1983.[1]

As a result, in 1997, the mosque was repaired and renovated by the Greek government and made available for hosting exhibitions and various cultural events.

Architecture

The mosque has a rectangular plan with a 8x10 m area and a 8x8 m main praying hall. It has a roof-floor, an inlet port and also a gallery on the west side which serves to access the minaret. The minaret has an octagonal shape and is located on the northeastern corner of the mosque. In addition, there is a historical Turkish building connected to the minaret and is an outbuilding to the mosque which contained service rooms during Turkish rule.[2]

The Osmanie Mosque was built in same period with another Turkish mosque which still survives, the Hamidiye Mosque, in Chios and shows similarities in architectural style.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sakız - Osmaniye Camii. Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Osmanlı İzleri (Ottoman Traces). 7 July 2016.
  2. Web site: Osmaniye Mosque Description. Greek Ministry of Culture. 7 July 2016.