Abstract:

Haci Bayram Mosque is located in Ulus district of Ankara, right besides the Augustus Temple. The main space of the mosque that survived until today, has a lengthwise rectangular foundation with a plain wooden ceiling and a hipped roof. Its ceiling has casseting-craft which is typical for the late period mosques of Ankara. It gains importance as one of the most beautiful mosques of Ankara with its interior wooden decorations, tiles and plaster mihrab. The mosque, which dates back to the 15th century has been restored in the 18th – 19th centuries and in the republican period and its original structure was subject to a significant change with the annexes constructed. The mosque was lastly renovated, enlarged and opened to worship by Ankara Metropolitan Municipality in 2011. Especially the adjustments and the additions made during the last 80 years to increase the community capacity of the mosque have changed the outlook of the mosque and its surrounding; and caused harm on the unity of knowledge rooted in its architectural foundation and history. Despite all these problems, during the 2011 restorations there were scientific interventions on the building as well. The wooden elements, hand-carves and tile coatings of the interior were cleaned and stabilized; in the women’s section the original hand-carved decorations coated with oil-paint were exposed. This work, briefly summarized above, critically evaluates the restorations and changes made to this structure and its surrounding at various times.

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