Shirvanli Azerbaijanis Mosque
Shirvanli Azerbaijanis Mosque
The mosque was built between 1873-1895. with the donations from the cities of Karabağ and Şirvan along with the donations of immigrants from these two cities who lived in Amasya and contribution of Şeyh Hacı Mahmut Efendi. While most of the mosques in Amasya had been built in the name of and named after statesmen and such, Şirvanlı Mosque was built in the name of a religious guide, Mir Hamza Nigari, by his followers and admirers. The mortal remains of Mir Nigari Hazretleri were brought from Harput, where he had died in 1866, and buried in the backyard of a house in Amasya as demanded in his will. Rumor has it that, the grave was later turned into a tomb with the donations collected under the leadership of Şeyh Hacı Mahmut Efendi and the mosque was built later.
The mosque is square shaped, single domed and has a single minaret. It is built of both hewn and broken stones. On the northern façade there is a portico consisting of three cloisters created by four pillars. The lancet arches above the classical capitals are ornamented with red and white marbles and each cloister in the portico has a separate dome. The craftsmanship and the motifs on the white marble door do not reflect the Turkish architectural style.
The tomb is adjacent to the eastern façade of the building. Entrance to the tomb, which is also square shaped, is through a great doorway within the mosque. The tomb displays the same architectural characteristics with the mosque. The dome has an octagonal drum. Next to the tomb, there is a graveyard in which there are four sarcophagi. The headstone of one of the sarcophagi, which are otherwise entirely plain, has a headstone with floral carvings.
