Yaman Dede Mosque
Yaman Dede Mosque is located in the Tablakaya District of Talas district in Kayseri. It was built during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid, who was a sultan for a long time during the Ottoman period. It was built in 1886 by your metropolitan ion, the General Responsible for Churches of Kayseri, in order for the Greek Orthodox people in Kayseri to perform their worship.
This church has served the Greek, Orthodox and Armenian people for many years. However, in the period of population exchange that started in nineteen twenty-five, the Christian people could not serve Kilis as the power of the Balkans was blown. The number of Muslims in Talas increased with the settlement of Muslims brought from the Balkans instead of the Christian people who migrated during the exchange. With the increase in the number of Muslims, the need for mosques has emerged.
In order to meet this need and not to destroy the Panaya Church, one of the most valuable worship buildings in the region, the church was converted into a mosque in 1925 and used as a place of worship for Muslims, taking the name Yeni Zafer Mosque. The epitaph at the entrance of the church, which contains information about the church, was stolen by historical artifact thieves and was later found by research and taken under protection in the Kayseri Archeology Museum.
After passing through the sentence gate and the first gate that provides the entrance to the courtyard, one comes to the courtyard by climbing the stairs. The arches of the windows and the keystones of the arches are the most important decorations of this structure. In addition, the angel figures on the keystones of the arches are important symbols of the Christian religion. In addition, pomegranate and pomegranate flowers are important symbols that express fertility.
After passing through the three-arched structure, the place of worship is entered. When you enter the building, the changes made in the worship area attract attention. When you enter the building in the mosque, the mihrab is the place where the imam leads the prayer and the pulpit is the place where he delivers the sermon. Panaya Church was converted into a mosque years later and was actively used for worship.
Worn out over time, the mosque was restored in 2006 and was named Yaman Dede. The reason why the mosque was named Yaman Dede is that he was known as Yaman Dede as a Muslim after many years in Diyamen, the son of Romanians born in Talas. He was raised as a Christian, but later he recognized Islam and preferred to become a Muslim.
And just like the story of Yaman Dede, the church, which was a place of worship for Christians, was converted into mosques, a place of worship for Muslims, years later. Yaman Dede Mosque, which lives in the 100-year-old historical texture of Talas, a 2000-year-old residential area, is the most beautiful mirror of past life and culture.
This church has served the Greek, Orthodox and Armenian people for many years. However, in the period of population exchange that started in nineteen twenty-five, the Christian people could not serve Kilis as the power of the Balkans was blown. The number of Muslims in Talas increased with the settlement of Muslims brought from the Balkans instead of the Christian people who migrated during the exchange. With the increase in the number of Muslims, the need for mosques has emerged.
In order to meet this need and not to destroy the Panaya Church, one of the most valuable worship buildings in the region, the church was converted into a mosque in 1925 and used as a place of worship for Muslims, taking the name Yeni Zafer Mosque. The epitaph at the entrance of the church, which contains information about the church, was stolen by historical artifact thieves and was later found by research and taken under protection in the Kayseri Archeology Museum.
After passing through the sentence gate and the first gate that provides the entrance to the courtyard, one comes to the courtyard by climbing the stairs. The arches of the windows and the keystones of the arches are the most important decorations of this structure. In addition, the angel figures on the keystones of the arches are important symbols of the Christian religion. In addition, pomegranate and pomegranate flowers are important symbols that express fertility.
After passing through the three-arched structure, the place of worship is entered. When you enter the building, the changes made in the worship area attract attention. When you enter the building in the mosque, the mihrab is the place where the imam leads the prayer and the pulpit is the place where he delivers the sermon. Panaya Church was converted into a mosque years later and was actively used for worship.
Worn out over time, the mosque was restored in 2006 and was named Yaman Dede. The reason why the mosque was named Yaman Dede is that he was known as Yaman Dede as a Muslim after many years in Diyamen, the son of Romanians born in Talas. He was raised as a Christian, but later he recognized Islam and preferred to become a Muslim.
And just like the story of Yaman Dede, the church, which was a place of worship for Christians, was converted into mosques, a place of worship for Muslims, years later. Yaman Dede Mosque, which lives in the 100-year-old historical texture of Talas, a 2000-year-old residential area, is the most beautiful mirror of past life and culture.
Erciyes College Social Studies Department
Note: Generations Gathering Project has been carried out since 2016 by the secondary school social studies department and students, as a unique work for Erciyes College. You can click to watch the video narration of this project with the comments of our students.
