Karagöz Mosque

In Gaziantep, a city rich in Ottoman mosques, Karagöz mosque is located in the District of Şahinbey, famous for its large number of historical monuments. Karagöz mosque was built by Battal Aga, the grandfather of Nuri Mehmet Paşa, one of the most famous people of Antep in the 1700s. Construction of the mosque started in 1756 and completion of the construction takes in 1758 year. Although it evokes the traditional Karagöz and Hacivat shadow play, which is identified with Bursa, according to rumour, the origin of the name of the mosque dates back to a Turkmen called ‘Karagözlü(the one who has black eye colors)’ who lived in the region. It is thought that there is a small mosque called Karagöz at the place where it is located, and that the mosque, which was built further enlarged, was given its former name. When the structural details are examined, a single dome parallel to the Qibla, the mihrab with no ornaments, the wooden pulpit and the round niche stand out from architectural and visual point of view. The mosque, which has a single minaret, is small in general, without decorations, and simple. Its small courtyard draws attention to the use of colored stone, which is also seen in many other mosques in the city. Other highlights include its historic chandelier and wooden windows within the mosque. The mosque, which last underwent repair in 1985, is among the city's highly naïve mosques of historical importance.