Başdurak Mosque, Ottoman mosque in Kemeraltı, Turkey.
Başdurak Mosque is a stone and marble structure featuring a large central dome resting on a square platform with a minaret on its western side. The complex includes additional buildings such as a Quranic school, library, and a traditional public water fountain integrated into the main structure.
This mosque was built in 1652 by Hacı Hüseyin and became one of the important structures in 17th-century Konak. The notable traveler Evliya Çelebi documented the building during his journeys through the region.
The mosque serves as a spiritual center while remaining embedded in the bustling market quarter, where commerce and religious devotion coexist visibly. Walking through the space, you notice how daily business and prayer times shape the rhythm of the place together.
The building sits at the center of the Kemeraltı market district and is easily approached on foot from multiple directions. Visiting outside prayer times allows you to move around more freely and observe the space without crowding.
The complex houses a traditional sebil, a public water fountain that once provided free refreshment to passersby and was a common feature of Ottoman mosque complexes. This feature demonstrates how the building served community needs beyond its role as a place of worship.
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