Handan Agha Mosque, Ottoman mosque in Hasköy, Beyoğlu, Turkey.
The Handan Agha Mosque is a prayer house in the Hasköy neighborhood near the Golden Horn, decorated with tilework from different periods. The interior features these ornamental surfaces throughout, with each layer of decoration coming from a distinct era of Ottoman craftsmanship.
This structure was built in the 15th century by Handan Agha, an official under Sultan Mehmed II, with its basement originally serving as a boathouse. Later work in the 18th and 19th centuries, and again in the 1960s, helped maintain the building as coastal changes affected the area.
The prayer hall displays a mix of Iznik tilework and 19th-century maiolica, showing how Ottoman decorative styles evolved over time. Visitors can see these layers of artistic change simply by looking at the walls as they enter and move through the space.
The building sits very close to the waterfront, so visitors should expect damp conditions in the surrounding area. Access to the interior is straightforward, though guests should be aware of the different floor levels since the basement lies below street level.
The place also goes by the name Kuşkonmaz Mosque, based on a local belief that birds never land on any of its surfaces. This distinctive claim has given the building a special place in neighborhood stories and local memory.
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