Karacabey Tomb

The Karacabey Tomb, located within the borders of the Hacettepe University Central Campus in Ankara, is a part of the Karacabey Social Complex. The complex, which consists of a mosque, tomb, soup kitchen, fountain, bathhouse, stable buildings and cellars, covers a very large area, many parts of which have not survived to the present day. Today, it defies time with only its mosque, tomb, fountain and bathhouse. The historical bathhouse serves the people of Ankara in the Hamamönü district. The lead-coated roof of the tomb, which was built by the architect Ahmet Ağa, was removed during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II, but was re-coated with lead during the restoration carried out by the General Directorate of Museums in 1943. It attracts attention with the niches on both sides and the Bursa arched iwan. The lighting of the tomb is provided by the windows on each side. As can be understood from the inscription on the door of the Karacabey Tomb, one of the most important religious structures in Ankara, it belongs to Celalettin Karaca Bey, one of the commanders of Fatih Sultan Mehmet. According to the inscription, Karaca Bey lost his life in the Battle of Varna in 848 and became a martyr. He was one of the grandsons of the Ottoman Sultan Murad II and showed great heroism in the Ottoman conquest of Rumelia.