Kesikbaş Mosque and Tomb

Kesikbaş Camii ve Türbesi is located in the center of Niğde province, Türkiye, on Kesikbaş Street within Burhan Neighborhood, southeast of Eskisaray Neighborhood. The tomb is situated beside the mosque bearing the same name.

^{Kesikbaş Türbesi} (Türkiye Kültür Portalı)

The tomb belongs to the group of rectangular-plan, horizontally oriented tombs. Its external dimensions are 5.40 x 9.95 meters, and its internal dimensions are 3.90 x 8.40 meters. The structure is built from yellow trachyte stone and exhibits a very simple architectural style. Its roof is flat; a recessed arched entrance door is located on the north façade, while windows and a mihrab niche are found on the east and south façades.

The interior of the tomb is illuminated by four wooden-linteled windows with a mazgal shape. At its center, a wooden sarcophagus is encircled by a metal frame. The interior space is undecorated; the exterior façade is plain.

The mosque’s minaret was constructed later and is located in the western corner. Built from yellow trachyte stone, it rests on a rectangular platform covered with cement plaster. The shaft is sixteen-sided, single-balconied, conical-capped, and crowned with an alem.

Although no original foundation inscription survives, two restoration inscriptions are present: one dated 1296/1878-79 on the north façade and another dated 1340/1921-22 on the south façade. The inscription on the south side draws attention with its Mevlevi coin and a six-line poetic text.

The three-dimensional Mevlevi coin with a turban depicted on the south façade inscription reveals a symbolic link between the tomb and Mevlana and Mevlevism. This coin, known as sikke-i şerif, refers to a distinctive headgear worn by Mevlevi dervishes.

The tomb is commonly known among the public as “Kesikbaş,” and there is a strong belief that the person buried here is Şems-i Tebrizi. Mehmet Önder, in his work Mevlana, explicitly attributes this tomb to Şems.