Defterdar Kos Mosque, Ottoman mosque in Eleftherias Square, Kos, Greece.
The Defterdar Kos Mosque is an Ottoman-era house of prayer located on Eleftherias Square in Kos Town. The structure displays a two-story cubic form topped with an octagonal dome supported by twelve arches that frame a square prayer hall inside.
Ottoman Sultan Ibrahim Efendi, the Minister of Finance, commissioned this mosque in 1780 on land that previously held a church. The construction reflects the religious transformation that took place on the island during Ottoman rule.
The mosque incorporates a wooden gynakonitis for women's quarters on the north side of the main hall, while the mihrab and minber stand to the south.
This mosque sits in the heart of Kos Town on Eleftherias Square, making it easy to reach on foot. Note that the building has remained closed to visitors since the 2017 earthquake caused structural damage.
Next to the mosque stands a marble fountain topped with a vaulted roof, supported by six short columns. This companion structure demonstrates the importance placed on water access and ritual purification in Islamic architectural design.
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