A Historic Wooden Mosque in Konya
Located in Konya, the Bayındır Mosque remains one of the finest examples of 14th-century wooden mosque architecture in Anatolia, despite having undergone various repairs and modifications over time. Its design was undoubtedly inspired by the earlier Eşrefoğlu Süleyman Bey Mosque in the same region and, in turn, influenced subsequent mosque constructions.
The mosque is situated in Bayındır village along the Konya-Beyşehir highway, approximately 6–7 kilometers from Beyşehir and about 1.5 kilometers off the main road. Ottoman archives refer to the settlement as “Killi Bayındır Village,” named after a Turkish tribe. According to its inscription, the mosque was built in H 767/M 1365, though the builder remains unknown. Locally, it is often called “Sheikh Muhyiddin Mosque” after the individual who renovated it in later periods.
Bayındır Mosque has a square plan measuring 17.10 × 17.15 meters, presenting a symmetrical and orderly layout. Its short, octagonal minaret, constructed from cut stone masonry, features a single balcony and rises above the roof, attached to the western wall. The main entrance on the east side is framed with finely cut stones and topped by the marble inscription, which consists of two nested circles within a rectangular panel, with decorative plant motifs flanking the text. A simpler western entrance was added later. The rubble stone walls, occasionally incorporating recycled materials, are coated with cement and painted with colored plaster. The interior is illuminated by rectangular wooden-framed windows, with larger lower windows secured by iron grills.
The prayer hall is divided into five bays extending perpendicular to the mihrab wall, supported by rows of wooden columns with circular and polygonal sections. The central bay is slightly wider than the others. The columns, part of the mosque’s entirely wooden support system, taper toward the top and feature ornamental capitals. Notably, the muqarnas capitals in front of the mihrab are among the richest examples of wooden architectural decoration in Anatolia. The edges of the back-row columns are profiled, with carved details on the sides, while front-row columns display calligraphic and floral motifs that are echoed on the main rectangular beams supporting the ceiling, as well as on the side and lower beams. The ceiling, covered with thin wooden boards, was originally constructed with wooden beams and later modified, as evidenced by remaining traces.
The mihrab, carved from wood into a semi-cylindrical niche on the southern wall, is framed with decorative strips of varying widths and features the ajur technique, with embroidered pieces fixed using thin nails. This mihrab, which does not reflect the characteristics of its period, was crafted by Master Hasan from Çiftliközü village in 1954. The original mihrab, made of plaster, was richly decorated with geometric and botanical motifs. Both the pulpit and the gallery are also wooden, though renovations over time have caused them to lose much of their original detailing.
