Kayseri Ulu Camii, Seljuk mosque in Kayseri, Turkey.
Kayseri Ulu Camii is a congregational mosque in the old city center of Kayseri, in central Anatolia, Turkey. It is built in stone, with a rectangular prayer hall divided by rows of columns and a courtyard open to the sky.
The mosque was begun under the Danishmend dynasty in the mid-12th century and later completed and expanded by the Seljuks in the early 13th century. Over the following centuries it was altered several times, but it has remained on its original site throughout.
The mosque sits at the heart of daily life in central Kayseri, where the call to prayer marks the rhythm of the neighborhood from early morning. During religious holidays, the courtyard fills with worshippers gathering from across the city.
The mosque is in downtown Kayseri, close to the old market area, and easy to reach on foot from most central points. Visitors should dress modestly and be aware that access for non-worshippers may be limited around prayer times.
Some of the stone columns inside the prayer hall are thought to have been taken from older, pre-Islamic structures in the region and reused when the mosque was first built. These reused elements are visible as you walk through the hall, giving the space a layered quality that spans many centuries.
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