Divrigi Ulu Mosque will be opened to worship in 2024

The restoration works that lasted for 8 years at the Divriği Ulu Mosque and Hospital, the first monument protected by UNESCO in Turkey, have been completed 70 percent of the time.
The Divriği Ulu Mosque and Hospital, which was built by the son of Mengücek shah Süleyman Shah, Ahmet Shah and his wife Melike Turan Hanım, during the Mengücekli principality of the Seljuks in 1228 in the Divrigi district of Sivas, is unique in the world. Also known as the "Alhambra of Anatolia", this mosque is the first monument to be protected by UNESCO in Turkey. While the Divriği Ulu Mosque and Hospital has preserved its majesty for about 800 years, it impresses with 10 thousand different motifs embroidered on it.
Divriği District Governor Yakup Papaker said that the first phase of the restoration work, which started in 2015, was completed in 2019, and that they plan to open the Divriği Ulu Mosque and Hospital for worship again in 2024.

Restoration work is 70 percent complete

Divriği District Governor Yakup Papaker stated that 70 percent of the restoration works have been completed and said, “Divriği Ulu Mosque is one of the most important works of Anatolia, the construction of which started in 1228 and was completed in 1243. Its construction was started by Ahmet Shah, son of Mengücek Shah Suleyman Shah. At the same time, the Darüşşifa section was continued by Ahmet Shah's wife, Melike Sultan. At the same time, it is the only work in Anatolia where a mosque and a hospital are adjacent. Our mosque was named 'World Cultural Heritage' by UNESCO in 1985. There are 10 thousand motifs in our Ulucami and Darüşşifa, but the most important feature of these motifs is that they are not symmetrical but asymmetrical. Each of these motifs has been used only once. In this sense, it is considered one of the first works in the world and in Anatolia. The architect of the Divriği Ulu Mosque and Hospital is Ahlatlı Hürrem Shah, the son of Muhlis. At the same time, the first and only work of the architect is Ulu Mosque and Hospital. In 2015, extensive restoration work started in Ulucami and the first phase was completed in 2019. The second phase of the restoration started in 2021 and will be completed in 2024. Thus, we will reopen our Ulu Mosque and Hospital. We can say that 70% of the restoration work is completed. However, the remaining 30 percent consists of the restoration of the doors, which constitute the most important visual of our mosque. Therefore, although the remaining part may seem small, we can say that it is a very important part.”

“It will be opened to both worship and tourism”

District Governor Papaker stated that the Divriği Ulu Mosque and Hospital will be opened to worship and tourism in 2024, and said, “Our Mosque, together with the Hospital, is the center of attention of domestic and foreign tourists. We host many tourists, especially from abroad, in our district. As of December 12, Turistlik will start its eastern train services. One of the stops is our Divriği district. One of the most frequented places of our guests is our Divriği Ulucami. As of now, it is not possible for us to tour the interior of our mosque and hospital, as the restoration work continues. Our guests can only visit the mosque through the outer door, accompanied by the narration of our guides. In the summer of 2024, our mosque will be opened to both worship and tourism.”