Fethiye Mosque, Kars, Religious monument in Kars, Turkey
The Fethiye Mosque is a house of prayer in Kars with rectangular form, built from light and dark brown tuff stone and featuring rounded arch windows. The structure has two minarets added during its conversion to Islamic use.
The building was erected in 1878 as the Alexander Nevsky Church when the Russian Empire controlled the region and established Kars Oblast. It was converted to a mosque in 1984 as religious authority shifted over the city.
The mosque reflects how the religious character of Kars shifted across different periods of rule and belief. Today it shows visitors layers of faith and identity embedded in the city's past.
The building is open to visitors during non-prayer times and serves the community for five daily prayers. Modest clothing is recommended out of respect, and visitors should be mindful of prayer schedules.
The building originally had distinctive onion domes from its Russian Orthodox period, which were removed in 1953. Between 1970 and 1984 it served as an indoor sports facility before taking on its current religious role.
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