President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the opening ceremony of the “Yeni Cami” in Eminönü after the restoration of the mosque – which has adorned Istanbul’s silhouette for about 3.5 centuries.
“Praise be to Allah, we have opened ‘Yeni Cami’ (new mosque), which was undergoing renovations and restorations for a long time. This unity and solidarity will be our greatest strength,” the president maintained.
The mosque, whose basis was laid in 1597 by Safiye Sultan, the spouse of the Ottoman Sultan Murad III, was accomplished in 1665 after 60 years, with efforts and donations of Hatice Turhan Sultan, the mom of Mehmed IV.
The mosque has been witnessing Eminönü’s hustle and bustle for 356 years. The General Directorate of Foundations initiated the restoration in 2016. During the restoration work, efforts had been made to revive the mosque to its unique kind for about six years.
Approximately 175 tons of lead within the eaves and domes had been used. The exterior was cleaned with the sandblasting technique. The physique and portico partitions had been bolstered with hydraulic lime injection.
In addition, interiors and exteriors that weren’t manufactured from unique supplies throughout earlier restorations had been renewed. Some surfaces had been cleaned with chemical compounds. The blemishes on marble attributable to marble jamb, wiping, deterioration within the rim and railings, rusting of clamps and tenons and stress connections of the mosque had been additionally mended whereas the tiles had been notably targeted in the course of the restoration course of.
In accordance with the choice of the scientific committee, the tiles of roughly 1500 sq. meters had been eliminated and strengthened.
Some of them had been bolstered with micro-injection in situ. Those with cracks or lacking elements had been completed with pencil work. According to the accredited restoration undertaking, the portico domes had been additionally embellished with pencilwork.
Touching upon the sweetness and historic essence of the mosque, Recap Türkoğlu, one of many tradesmen mentioned: “I’ve been working as a tradesman right here for 25 years. Eminönü Yeni Mosque is without doubt one of the most necessary mosques in Istanbul. It has been uncared for for years. Thanks to the General Directorate of Foundations, the Yeni Mosque has been restored.
The Yeni Mosque, which is visited and used for worship by tens of millions of individuals yearly, has been made worthy of its title. Our locations of worship ought to be clear and luxurious. These mosques showcase the fantastic thing about Istanbul.”
Addressing the opening ceremony, Erdoğan mentioned: “On behalf of the nation, the muse group, and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, I wish to thank all of our architects and artists who contributed so far.”
The president reminisced concerning the night time he spent on the mosque, whereas he was a senior scholar at an Imam Hatip college and associated how he was accompanied by a preacher whereas delivering his sermon and the way he accomplished the sermon on an evening of Laylat al-Qadr, a holy night time for the Muslim devoted.
The president is a graduate of Imam Hatip highschool. “May Allah maintain our unity forever. This unity and togetherness will be our most valuable asset. I especially want you to continue on this path of unity,” he added.
In the tip, the president recited the Quran’s first chapter for martyrs and concluded the ceremony.
