Kale Masjid
Kale Masjid, literally Fortress Masjid, is located on the ancient street in the northwest part of the Acropolis, where the street starting from the North Acropolis Gate makes a junction. The structure was built with spoliated blocks and polygonal stones removed from the surrounding buildings. It is noteworthy that both the structure and its superstructure were originally built entirely of stone. The masjid consists of a square prayer room, an entrance room on its north and a rectangular front court on the north. The square prayer hall is covered with a single dome, and is accessed via a rectangular doorway on the north. The transition to the dome was provided by Turkish triangles and the masjid’s main walls were mostly built with cut blocks.
Genaral view of Kale Masjid
The masjid is void of any inscriptions or decoration. The entrance area of the mosque in the north was destroyed down to foundation level, only a section in the northeast corner stands intact. The masjid, which is statically in good condition, has a large amount of material loss on the windows on the south facade, on the outer parts of the dome transition elements and on the mihrab (prayer niche). The building, which has two phases of construction, was built in the thirteenth century, and continued to be used with small additions in the fifteenth or sixteenth century; and in the last phase, two spaces, namely A and B, were added onto the eastern facade. After the excavations, it was clarified that these spaces were actually a blacksmith’s workshop.
Interior of Kale Masjid