Sara Hatun Camii

Sara Hatun Camii was built as a mosque in 1465 by Sara (Sare) Hatun, mother of Akkoyunlu ruler Uzun Hasan, in the Harput district of Elazığ. This structure, bearing religious and architectural traces of the Akkoyunlu period, stands out as a significant building that influenced the direction of Ottoman settlement in Harput.

The mosque has reached its present form through various repairs and structural modifications over time. The first major restoration was carried out in 1585 by Hacı Mustafa. In 1843, Harput Mufti Hacı Ahmet Efendi completely demolished the mosque and rebuilt it. During this process, much of the original Akkoyunlu architecture was lost. Subsequent comprehensive restoration works were conducted in 1996 and between 2006 and 2007.

_{Sara Hatun Camii} (Encyclopedia of Turkish Tourism)

In its current form, the mosque has a square plan with a dome resting on four thick columns at its center. The side areas are supported by barrel vaults. The final prayer hall consists of three units, each covered by a dome. The mihrab is a simple niche made of cut stone. The marble minbar is a notable element due to its stonework. The mosque was constructed using rough-hewn stones, and its southern and eastern walls are supported by four buttresses each.

_{Sara Hatun Camii Minaret} (Harput)

Evliya Çelebi noted during his visit to Harput in 1656 that the mosque lacked a minaret. The current minaret, according to some sources, was built in 1898; however, an inscription on the minaret indicates its construction date as 1889. Built using two-colored cut stone, the minaret adds visual richness to the structure.

_{Cemşit Bey Hamamı}(Harput)

To the west of the mosque stands the Cemşit Bey Hamamı, built in the first half of the 16th century by Cemşit (Cimşit) Bey, one of the sipahi beys of Yavuz Sultan Selim. The changing room is square in plan and covered by a dome. The washing area consists of four iwans, with a small vaulted chamber (halvet) in each corner. This structure reflects Harput’s culture of cleanliness and is no longer in use today.

Sara Hatun Camii served as the central mosque of Harput. The presence of a musalla stone only in this mosque indicates its status as the primary place of worship of its time. Evliya Çelebi mentioned both the mosque and the hamam in his 17th-century travelogue, while Şemseddin Sâmi provided detailed accounts of Harput’s urban development in his work “Kamüsü’l Âlâm”.

Today, Sara Hatun Camii remains open for worship and is an important structure reflecting Harput’s historical and cultural heritage. The El Emeği – Göz Nuru Çarşısı located opposite the mosque contributes to the preservation of local crafts and regional production. The building is an integral part of the region’s cultural fabric, both through its architectural features and its historical context.

_{Sara Hatun Camii Entrance}(Historical Monuments of Türkiye)