Mardin Ulu Cami
Imagine a city covered in golden-yellow stones, nestled beside the sky. This is Mardin! Within this beautiful city stands a vast structure that has remained standing for exactly 845 years: Mardin Ulu Cami. Have you ever walked inside a building this old and listened to the stories it whispers? Let us explore its historic gates together.
The Oldest Story in the City
Mardin Ulu Cami was built in 1176 by Sultan Kutbettin İlgazi during the Artuklu period. This mosque is older than your great-great-great-grandfather! The precisely cut stones used in its construction reflect Mardin’s famous golden hue.
Originally, the mosque had two minarets. However, due to storms and wars over time, one minaret collapsed and only fragments of it remain. The slender, ornate minaret we see today was reconstructed in the 19th century.
Mardin Ulu Cami(Mardin Municipality)
The Secret Message on the Walls: Tax Exemption
As you approach the eastern entrance of the mosque, you will see a special inscription carved into the stones. This inscription is known as the "Tax Exemption Tablet". What is a tax? A tax is money collected to build parks, schools, and roads in the community.
Exactly 835 years ago, a ruler named Melik Hüsameddin Yavlak Arslan made a remarkable decision to revitalize the city and attract merchants. He declared, "We will no longer collect this money from anyone!" and had this decree inscribed on the mosque’s walls so that everyone could see it. Thanks to this decision, caravanserais and bathhouses filled the region along trade routes, and people began living much happier lives.
Mardin Ulu Cami (Culture Portal)
The Fountain That Tells the Story of Life
The Artuklu fountain in the mosque courtyard was built not only to provide water but also to symbolize the journey of life. The color and shape of the water represent stages of human existence: its source signifies birth, the narrow and wide channels represent childhood and adulthood, and where it flows out symbolizes the end of life. In this mystical atmosphere, you can reflect on how your own life might flow.
Additionally, the mosque houses the sacred beard of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. For this reason, the mosque holds great significance for visitors from all over the world.
A Journey Through Time
Imagine walking the streets of Mardin approximately 840 years ago, when the announcement of tax abolition was proclaimed. Can you picture the merchants embracing each other in joy and caravans of camels arriving from the Silk Road, bringing even more goods into the city?
