Valide Mosque, Mytilene, Ottoman mosque in Epano Skala district, Mytilene, Greece.
Valide Mosque is a stone structure with a red minaret rising above the roofline and a pitched roof that slopes toward the sea. Inside the courtyard stands a marble fountain set within a stone-paved area, while the prayer hall features stucco wall decorations.
The building was constructed around 1615 during Ottoman rule and served as the main place of worship for the Muslim population. Its role ended with the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey.
The mosque is named after an Ottoman sultana, reflecting the importance of women in the sultan's household during that era. Its elaborate decoration demonstrates the status this institution held in the community.
The site sits within a residential neighborhood that you can reach on foot from Mytilene's central area. Since restoration work is underway, check ahead about access before planning your visit.
The prayer niche inside was once decorated with colorful frescoes that no longer remain visible today. Such wall paintings were rare in mosques and reveal the artistic ambitions of the period.
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