Diyarbakır Grand Mosque
It was created in 639 by the Muslim Arabs who ruled Diyarbakir by converting the largest temple (Martoma Church) in the city center into a mosque. We learn from the inscriptions that it underwent a major repair in 1091 with the order of the Great Seljuk Ruler, Melikşah, and that it took its present form with repairs and additions many times in different periods. As a result of the fire and earthquake in 1115, the arches, columns and decorated stones were all destroyed. The marble stones found outside spread after this date. Diyarbakir Great Mosque, which is interpreted as the reflection of the famous Damascus Umayyad Mosque of the early Islamic period, is accepted as the 5th Harem-i Şerif of the Islamic world. There is also a sundial made by the famous scholar Al-Jazari, who is considered the father of cybernetics, in the mosque.
It is a group of buildings that bring together religious and cultural structures with the maksures in the east and west of the large courtyard in the middle, the Hanifiler Mosque in the south, the Şafiiler Mosque and Mesudiye Madrasa in the north, and the Zinciriye Madrasa just near the western entrance of the mosque. Al-Jazari (Imam-cezeri) first taught in the Zinciriye Madrasa. The reason why the doors of the madrasa are small is that there are great scholars in it, so you should bend down when entering the room. Architectural decorations, reliefs and inscriptions from different periods are placed in great harmony on the courtyard facades of the Ulu Mosque. Although no name is mentioned as an architect, Zeki Sönmez states that the architect named "Muhammad Bin Salame el-Ruhavi" may have taken part in this building, based on the fact that he worked under the command of Melikşah at the same time.
