Latifiye Mosque

Latifiye Mosque, which won the 'Most Beautiful Mosque' competition, has been standing in Mardin, almost 700 years with all its majesty. Latifiye Mosque, also known as the Abdullatif Mosque, is one of the oldest buildings in Mardin. One of the most beautiful examples of Artuklu architecture, the mosque was built by Abdullatif bin Abdullah, who served during the periods of Artuklu Sultans Melik Muzaffer and Melik Salih. The mosque's minaret was built by then-Egyptian Governor Mohammad Ziya Tayyar Pasha. With the elapsed time, the minaret succumbed to history, but in 1845, The Governor of Mosul Mehmet Pasha rebuilt it. There are two colors of stone use in the construction of Latifiye Mosque, one of Mardin's last Artuklu works. Especially the handcrafted decorations at the entrance door, which is a monument of art, amaze those who see it. The entrance door decorated with stars and geometric motifs, is also among the rare examples of Artuklu architecture, as it is in frequent used craftsmanship at the time. In 2011, the mosque was chosen as the first in the 'Most Beautiful Mosque' competition organized by the Directorate of Religious Affairs in Turkey. Latifiye Mosque, which has been challenging time for 649 years, is very important especially for religious tourism of the city.