Göğceli Mosque, Wooden mosque in Çarşamba, Turkey.
Göğceli Mosque is a wooden prayer house in the Çarşamba district of Turkey, with walls built from black walnut, outer branch wood, and chestnut. The supporting beams are each cut from a single piece and can reach lengths of up to 20 meters (66 feet).
The building was raised in 1206 under Seljuk Sultan Giyaseddin Keyhusrev I and counts among the oldest surviving wooden mosques in the region. Over the centuries, the construction has remained largely in its original state.
The name comes from the village where the prayer house has served the local community for generations. Inside, visitors notice the hand-painted plant patterns applied with dyes made from natural roots, giving each wooden surface its own character.
The structure rises about 70 centimeters (28 inches) above the ground on large stones, allowing air to circulate beneath and keep the wood dry. Visitors should watch for the threshold when entering and bring appropriate clothing for a prayer house.
The entire construction was assembled without nails, relying instead on traditional stacking and joinery techniques in wood. This method allowed builders to raise a structure measuring over 17 by 21 meters (56 by 69 feet) and preserve it for more than eight centuries.
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