Where is the zeyrek mosque in istanbul? What is the history of zeyrek mosque?
The mosque, which has a beautiful Golden horn view, is located in Zeyrek district in Fatih County in Istanbul. Zeyrek is the area that is known as the area of abbeys during the Byzantine times. The first church was built there by the order of the wife of Ioannes II Kommenos (John the Beautiful), Eirene (Irene of Hungary) in the first quarter of the 12th century. It is the church of one of the largest abbeys of Byzantine, Pantokrator Monastery. After the death of his wife, the emperor built another church there. Pantokrator Monastery was composed of these two churches and a small chapel. During the Latin invasion, Catholic priests confiscated the monastery of the second largest and oldest Byzantine church in Istanbul after Hagia Sophia.
Upon the conquest of Istanbul by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, the monastery was transformed into a madrasa, and the first madrasa of Istanbul was opened there. The Church was opened to worship as a mosque and was named as Zeyrek Mosque after the name of the first professor of the madrasa, Molla Zeyrek Mehmet Efendi.
The mosque, which was underwent an extensive restoration at the end of the 18th century, is covered by five domes, and has a minaret with one balcony (şerefe). The floorings, which were discovered during the restoration activities began in 1966, are one of the rarest examples survived from the Byzantine era. Today, only the southern part of the mosque is open for worship.
Source: Harun Kırkıl, Read About and Travel Around ISTANBUL, Erkam Publications