Basdurak Mosque

The historical Kemeraltı Bazaar, which is the most vibrant region of Izmir, houses very important places of worship. One of the most important mosques in the region, which is seen as one of the temples of the Muslim community, is the Basdurak mosque. The mosque, which currently has a special place among the historical mosques in Kemeralti, is particularly noted for its mosaic decorations. In this sense, it is considered an inspiration for many artists. The founder of the historic mosque, which is located exactly on Anafartalar Street, is Haji Hussain. For this reason, the mosque is sometimes referred to as Haji Huseyin Mosque. At one time, this region was known as “Basoturak”. Because it can be said much more easily in everyday language, it becomes “Başdurak” over time. Since the mosque does not have an inscription that reaches to this day, history information is not available. The information that it was built together with a madrasa which was located here at that time can be reached from the transfers in the travelogue work. Although there is no clear information about the mosque, the year of construction is estimated to be 1650s. There is only one repair inscription on the mosque. According to the information in this inscription, the mosque was repaired in detail in 1774. The second repair inscription related to the mosque is located in the crown section of the courtyard gate. According to the information here, the mosque is severely damaged in the earthquake. Thanks to the help of the people, the mosque was opened for worship again in 1895. The last restoration of the mosque takes place in May 2001. This repair is undertaken by the General Directorate of Foundations. In this process, the number of shops is significantly increased. The current worship area of mosque is square-planned and covered with a fairly large dome. The present minaret is subsequently incorporated as the original minaret was demolished. On the walls and in the mihrab section, flower figures draw attention. Pen-work decorations are also found in some parts of the mosque.