Sections of Biyuk Jami in Kefe

Abstract

Iconographic materials and written evidence are the main source for studying the architectonics of the building of the XVI century, lost in 1833–1834. Their substantive consideration allows us to remove some delusions that are common in scientific circulation and to get important conclusions: supporting arches were not used in the construction of the main dome; the courtyard of the mosque had a roof; images of minarets in the drawing by Ch. G. Geisler, belonging to two different buildings, are combined – Mufti Jami (left) and Biyuk Jami (right). It was also established that the hammam first appeared on the market square, after it the construction of the mosque was started. This is indicated by the broken configuration of the side wall of the Biyuk Jami outer haram from the side of the bath-house, which was formed as a result of the forced fitting of buildings. The doming of the central part of the mosque prayer hall had an original volumetric composition and a well thought-out design, which could well have belonged to the hand of the capital's master, who supervised the construction work at the Crimean structures of Mimar Sinan.

Keywords

• crimea
• feodosia
• mimar sinan
• shahzade suleiman-khan
• sultan selim ii
• mosque
• ottoman architecture
• iconographic sources
• drawings by william hastie