‘Alhambra of Anatolia’ welcomes thousands of visitors

SİVAS

Divriği Great Mosque and Hospital, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has welcomed nearly 72,000 visitors since reopening for worship and tours on May 6, 2024, following a restoration process that lasted approximately nine years.

Often referred to by European scholars as the “Alhambra of Anatolia” due to its resemblance to the famed Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain, this nearly 800-year-old monument is one of the most significant religious and historical sites in the region.

Commissioned in 1228 by Ahmad Shah, son of the Mengücekid ruler Süleyman Shah, the Divriği Great Mosque covers an area of 1,280 square meters. Adjacent to the mosque is the 768-square-meter hospital, built in the same year by Melike Turan Melek, daughter of Behram Shah.

Each of the monument’s ornate portals — the hospital’s crown portal, the mosque’s north and west portals, and the Shah Mahfili portal — features unique, intricately detailed designs.

The restoration project, which began in 2015, involved extensive work including roof replacement, laser cleaning, an injection system for structural reinforcement and strengthening of the building. Additionally, 190 surrounding structures were expropriated to enhance the site's landscape.

Nail Ayan, the mosque’s imam and a volunteer guide, told Anadolu Agency that after the most comprehensive restoration in the site’s history, Divriği Great Mosque and Hospital has seen a surge in visitors since reopening last May.

Noting that visitor numbers peaked during Ramadan Bayram, Ayan said approximately 72,000 people have toured the site over the past year.

“Handcrafted with great care, this masterpiece has been restored beautifully and has finally received the recognition it deserves,” Ayan said. “It will be preserved properly for future generations.”

Visitors from Japan and Germany

While most visitors are domestic tourists, Ayan noted that international guests have also come to admire the site.

“Visitors from Japan and Germany are amazed when they see the monument,” he said. “They can’t hide their admiration and take countless photos. Our guests from Japan even remarked, ‘If we had such a monument, we would place it inside a glass dome.’ This shows the value they place on cultural heritage.”

He added that art historians and architects visiting the site have praised the restoration work.

“Our slogan is, ‘Don't die before seeing this masterpiece,’” Ayan said. “I highly recommend that students of art history, architecture, and civil engineering visit the Divriği Great Mosque and Hospital before graduating.”