The Underground Mosque is one of the unusual architectural landmarks of Istanbul. I had read about it a long time ago, but could never find the time to get there. During one of my recent trips, I finally managed to find this structure and visit inside. The mosque is located in the Beyoğlu district. It is easy to get here from other interesting places in the city.
History of the place
It is believed that in the past, a tower stood on the site of the modern mosque, to which a chain was attached, blocking the Golden Horn bay from the invasion of enemy ships. I don't know how true this story is, as I have come across similar facts about the Galata Tower, and it is located almost half a kilometer from the underground mosque. It is unlikely that the chain encircled several buildings in the area at once. Nevertheless, guidebooks say that the remains of the chain can be seen today in the Naval and Military Museums of Istanbul.
The tower was destroyed after the conquest of Constantinople. The surviving basement began to be used as a warehouse for ammunition and water. Later, a tomb was established here; this happened after the bodies of men who died during the siege of Constantinople in the 7th century were found on the territory of the future mosque.
In 1757, Grand Vizier Köse Mustafa Pasha allocated funds to rebuild the tomb into a mosque. In the 19th century, the wooden building that we can see now appeared over the former basement.
Despite its unusual name, one could say the mosque is unremarkable: the interiors here are quite simple, and from the outside, the building looks like many other houses in Istanbul. Inside the mosque, there are 54 pillars, and light enters the main hall of the mosque through several windows on the Bosphorus side.
How to get there
The location is easy to find on online maps. You can walk here in five minutes, for example, from the Karaköy tram stop. This is the T1 line, which runs close to many attractions in the center of Istanbul.
The Underground Mosque is active, and entrance inside is free.
Not far from this place are Galataport, the Church of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, and the "Istanbul Modern" museum of contemporary art.
Enjoy your walks!
