Hisar Mosque
Hisar Mosque (Yâkub Bey Mosque, Molla Yakup Mosque) is a mosque located in the Konak district of İzmir, in the Hisarönü district that gives its name to it, as well as around the Kemeraltı Bazaar and Kızlarağası Inn. It is accepted that it was built by Özdemiroğlu Molla Yakup Bey, a descendant of the Aydınoğulları, more than 150 years after the Aydınoğulları Principality came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. It is the historical and largest mosque in İzmir, built in 1006 (Hijri) and 1597/1598 (Gregorian). Research suggests that the mosque was built on the ruins of the İzmir Harbor Castle, which was captured by Timur, the founding leader of the Timurid Empire, in 1402 and then destroyed. This Harbor Castle (Aşağı Kale, Hisar Castle, Ok Castle) was built between 1231-1235 at the mouth of the inner harbor. Evliya Çelebi, who came to Izmir in 1671-1672, also recorded the existence of both Kadifekale and this fortress castle. The mosque was named Hisar Mosque because it was located in front of the lower gate of the Inner Port Castle. The mosque's mihrab is triple and bears Italian influences. With this feature, it is among the rare mosques with three mihrabs. The reason for this is attributed to the mosque having three patrons. Some sources also say that the area on which the building was built was previously a Latin church. Another thesis dates the existence of the mosque back to another person named Molla Yakup and the 14th century. According to the Arab traveler Ibn Battuta, the existence of a person named Sheikh Yakup in Izmir is certain at the beginning of the 14th century, but his relationship with the mosque is not clear.
