Battalgazi Grand Mosque
Located in Battalgazi district (Old Malatya), this mosque was built in 1224 during the reign of Seljuk Ruler Alaaddin Keykubat. According to its inscription, its architects are Yakup bin Ebubekir el-Malati and Mansur bin Yakup. The parts made of brick show the first mosque form, while the stone ones show the later additions. It is the first and only example of the great Seljuk mosques in Iran, in Anatolia, with a four-iwan plan. Adjacent to the dome in front of the mihrab, the inner courtyard with its garden and pool in the middle forms the basis of the plan. Geometric stars and inserts made of turquoise and eggplant purple tile mosaics, the inscription remaining on the arch face, and the columns covered with zigzag-shaped tile mosaics are the eye-catching decorations of the mosque. The inner surface of the dome is covered with bricks and has an enormous tile decoration. The skirts of the dome are decorated with knitted bricks in the form of geometric art of triangles. The mosque is in the town center and is open to visitors every day of the week.
