Hüdavendigar (Murad I) Complex
Hüdavendigar (Murad I) Complex
Built by Sultan Murad I in the years 1363/66, which enabled the city to expand westwards. Consists of a mosque and madrasah, public kitchen, Turkish bath and royal tomb. The mosque contains Byzantine elements, due to the fact that the craftsmen employed in its construction were Byzantines. The most important characteristic of the Hüdavendigar Mosque is the madrasah, which is placed on the upper floor of the mosque as part of the same structure. This mosque is the only and unique example of Ottoman mosques with two porticos.
The tomb was reconstructed by Sultan Abdülaziz in 1863 on its former foundations using historic techniques and details. In the royal tomb building, there are eight coffins including the one of Sultan Murad Hüdavendigar (Murad I). The public kitchen, which was renovated by Sultan Abdülhamit in 1906 after it was damaged during the 1855 earthquake, is used nowadays as a social-cultural centre.
The Turkish bath in the area maintains its original function. The reason behind the small size of the Gir-Cık Bath located to the east of the mosque, in comparison to Turkish baths in other complexes, shows that the necessary functions were placed in the complex, but that the large Turkish bath nearby (Eski Kaplica) was also utilized.
The Complex has given its name to the neighbourhood where it is located. Moreover, the location of the complex is a thermal area with abundant healing waters, which is important for the city.
Located in the site which was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014.
