Kefeli Mosque (Church of Saint Nicholas)

Kefeli Mosque in Istanbul began as a Byzantine building, perhaps part of the Monastery of Manuel, and later became a church used by Catholics from Caffa. It was converted into a mosque in 1630 while retaining a name connected with Crimea. The long, narrow building uses alternating courses of stone and brick. It originally had three aisles, although only the central one survives. A semicircular apse, an arch on the northern side and two mihrabs, one marble and one ceramic with patterns, reflect the building’s layered history. A minaret with stone rings and stair railings completes the exterior, while high and low entrances lead into an interior where different eras and religions meet.

Kefeli Mosque was restored in the 1970s, including reconstruction of the minaret. A new ablution area was added to the complex in 2012, preserving its practical use for modern worshippers.