Launched under a protocol signed between Karatay Municipality and the General Directorate of Foundations, the restoration work covers six registered mosques in the district: Yanık, Şeyh Ulema Çavuşoğlu, Topraklık Kerimdede, Dolap Battallar, Celal and Ferit Paşa. The work is being carried out with careful attention to preserving the buildings’ original structures. In addition to the mosque restorations, ancillary buildings are also being constructed as part of the project. The Ulu Arif and Celal Sokak fountains, which complement the area’s historical character, are also being restored through reconstruction work.
Karatay Mayor Hasan Kılca said the municipality was making extensive efforts to protect the district’s cultural heritage. Describing Karatay as an ancient district known for its rich cultural assets, including the sites associated with Mevlana and Şems-i Tebrizi, Kılca said:
“We have historic mosques, fountains, baths, inns and caravanserais. We are carrying out restoration work on many of these structures. We have begun restoring registered mosques that belong to our foundations and have served Karatay for many years. At the same time, we are also working to restore our fountains.”
Emphasizing that the municipality was working in coordination with the General Directorate of Foundations to ensure historic buildings are preserved for future generations, Mayor Kılca said the restoration work would be completed within three months.
“We have begun restoration work on the registered Yanık Mosque, as well as the Şeyh Ulema Çavuşoğlu, Topraklık Kerimdede, Dolap Battallar, Celal and Ferit Paşa mosques. Under an agreement with the General Directorate of Foundations, we have undertaken to sponsor their restoration. We are restoring all six mosques. Work began simultaneously at all six historic, registered mosques. We hope to complete the restoration of all six within three months and reopen them for worship. We are preserving our city’s identity and carrying the legacy of our ancestors into the future.”
