Ahi Celebi Mosque

Ahi Celebi Mosque

It is estimated that Ahi Chelebi Mosque, which was placed at a corner where Yogurtçular Street intersects with Değirmen Street in Eminonu district, was built between 1480-1500. It was built by Tabib Kemal Ahi Can Tebrizi, placed with rectangular planning and with a dome supported by two arches. He had worked as the head doctor at the Darü’ş-Şifa (hospital) of Sultan Mahmut and Mutfak Emini (mess attendant). Ahi Chelebi Mosque is also known as Kanlı Fırın Mescidi and Yemişçiler Camii, which was on fire on July 2nd 1539 and May 18th 1653. In addition, it was damaged during an earthquake in 1892. In the Tezkiret’ul Ebniye, written by Mustafa Sa'i Qelebi, a brief biography including a list of structures by Mimar Sinan (Sinan the Architect), it was shown to be one of his buildings, and the reconstruction of the mosque has been accelerated recently. Ahi Çelebi Mosque has an important place in Istanbul folklore. Evliya Chelebi, the famous 17th century Ottoman traveler and writer, had his famous dream in this mosque. Evliya Chelebi, it appears, had a vision of the Prophet, in his twenty-first year, in which, stammering as he was, blinded by glory, he had asked, not as he meant to, for the intercession of the Prophet (shifaa't) but for travelling (siya'hat). Traveling had been granted, in abundance.