The historical Grand Mosque in Türkiye’s Afyonkarahisar province, constructed on 40 wooden poles during the Seljuk period between 1272 and 1277, has been included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Despite nearly 750 years, the mosque still stands tall and earned its place on the list due to its exceptional Turkish wood carving art and stone masonry. Built by Afyon Sanjak Bey Nasreddin Hasan, the son of the Seljuk Vizier Fahreddin Sahip Ata, the Grand Mosque has managed to endure for the past 750 years, supported by the 40 wooden pillars, without the use of any nails.
“In the past, there was a bazaar called Arasta with 40 shops in this region. Next to this bazaar, a mosque was built in the name of Sivrihisarlı Yusuf Efendi. Unfortunately, both the mosque and the bazaar were burned down during that period. This mosque, with its 40 pillars, representing the pinnacle of wood craftsmanship, was constructed here to provide shelter for the shop owners who had lost their businesses,” explained Afyonkarahisar Provincial Mufti Sinan Kazancı.
Gökten Ceylan