Pertev Pasa Mosque

 

Pertev Mehmet Pasa Social Complex, located in Kocaeli Yeni Cuma Neighborhood, next to the old Istanbul-Ankara Highway is known as Yeni Cuma Mosque among the public. Pertev Mehmet Pasa Mosque, of which only the mosque, fountain, şadırvan (water-tank with a fountain) and primary school sections could survive partially until today is actually the remaining parts of a big social complex.

 

The actual social complex consists of a mosque, poorhouse, Turkish bath, caravanserai, primary school, soup kitchen, şadırvan, market and fountain. The Turkish bath was located in the northwest of the mosque, poorhouse in the east and caravanserai in southwest. Stores were lined in the southeast of this caravanserai on the historical Silk Road, which has an important place in Kocaeli.

 

This precious structure, one of the exceptional works of Sinan in our province was first divided in two with the Yeni Cuma Street (Pertev Pasa Street) opened in the middle of the structure group in an unplanned manner in the second half of the 20th century. Then the structures within the park on the left side of the road came on the brink of collapsing with the corrosive effect of time. In the republican period, during the rearrangement of Kocaeli, with the construction plans of first Hermann Yansen, and later Prof. Kemal Ahmet Aru, surroundings of the social complex were opened and the structure group gained a magnificent appearance. However, during these works, Turkish bath and the caravanserai of the social complex with historical value were demolished entirely, and the primary school, currently used as a course, lost its originality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pertev Mehmet Pasa Social Complex was built by Sinan by the order of Kethüda Sinan Aga following the death of Pertev Mehmet Pasa, in accordance with his will. Foundations of the mosque were laid in 1572, but the social complex could only be completed in 1579. Even though it is in an important earthquake zone like Kocaeli, the structure survived in one peace until today. The structures are surrounded by a courtyard wall from rubble stone with Windows. Of the three different courtyard doors, the one in the direction of caravanserai was furnished with an inscription “Cami-i fierifi Pertev Pasa year 987 (1579)”.

 

Courtyard of the social complex consists of two sections. One of these is in front of the narthex and the other in the direction of mihrab. Both courtyards are separated from each other with a wall. The mosque at the in the center of the structure group has a short rectangular plan and is a nice example of one domed mosque. The central dome is reinforced with semi domes. The 24 windows surrounding the dome drum from all sides, 12 Windows on the mihrab wall, grouped in four , and two at the narthex section, 14 windows in total at side walls illuminate the worshipping area so much that it is filled with light.

 

The fact that no china tiles are used within the mosque is an important feature not encountered frequently in structures of that era. There are writing friezes and hand drawn decorations between Windows of the mosque. Both the marble Works and the wooden workmanship is of a quite advanced level. The marble mihrab and the mimbar are covered with geometric decorations. The fine embroideries on these draw attention as some of the unparalleled examples of Turkish ornamental art.

 

Main entrance door of the mosque is on the eastern wall. There is a second floor, the muezzin gathering place over the door. There is a gallery with wooden roof in the narthex. There is a şadırvan with twelve corners with a roof reminding Seljuk style in the middle of the courtyard, among historical plane trees. There is a historical fountain in the southwest of the courtyard, out of the garden.