8/14/2019 Cami - Fethiye [Pammakaristos Manastiri]

1/2

Fethiye CamiiThe Fethiye or Victory Mosque was converted from the Church of the Monastery of Theotokos Pammakaristos in 1591 by Murad III to commemorate the conquest of Georgiaand Azerbaijan, and to serve the community's increasing Muslim population. A plaque on thefunerary chapel or parekklesion, inscribed by poet Emmanuel Philes, shows the addition wascompleted by Martha Glabas in dedication to her husband Michael Glabas Tarchaniotes (d.1306), a high dignitary and commander of troops under Andronicus II Palaeologus. The mainchurch was also refurbished at this time, with additions to the north and west.The Greek Orthodox Patriarchy moved from the Church of Holy Apostles to the Monastery of Pammakaristos after the Ottoman conquest and was transferred to its current location inFener when the church was converted into a mosque. The fire of Balatkapi damaged themosque in 1640, a restoration plaque on the southern faade states that it was repaired in1845 (1262 A.H.) The mosque was restored by the General Directorate of ReligiousEndowments between 1936-38. Abandoned after the restoration, the main space was re-opened to Islamic prayer in 1960.The Church-MosqueThe church was one of two churches in the monastery whose walled-in complex included

rooms and offices. Its plan reveals an older church at the core, built over a cistern, enclosedby joined ambulatories to the north, west and south. The church at the core consists of anarthex to the west, leading into a domed nave flanked by aisles to the north and south. Itsnave and aisles terminate in apses to the east. A parekklesion, or a funerary chapel wasadded to the south in the 14th century. A corridor attached to the narthex of the parekklesionconnects it with an outer narthex to the west and an outer aisle to the north.The main church was modified to a great extent during the conversion. Triple arcadesseparating the nave from the aisles were replaced with broad archways to open up the nave,and the inner wall and northern columns of the parekklesion were removed to increase theamount of interior space. The three apses of the main church were demolished to build alarger sanctuary, a domed triangular extension that faces the qibla. A wooden minbar occupies the archway between the nave and the southern aisle. The fenestration was also

revised.A restoration led by the Byzantine Institute of America in 1960 has reinstated theparekklesion to its Pre-Ottoman state. As it is seen today, the parekklesion has a Greek crossplan, with a tall domed space at the center and sanctuary with semi-dome to the east,preceded by a vaulted narthex to the west. The central dome is carried on pendentives thatare reinforced by groin vaults forming the four arms of the Cross. Two smaller domes framethe central dome to its west on the exterior. Vertical loads from the roof are transferred witharches to four marble columns at the center crowned with elaborately carved capitals. Thenave is dimly lit with high windows and dome lights, in contrast the sanctuary where lightfloods in through windows placed at eye level. The mosaics of the parekklesion, exposed andcleaned during the restoration, are fine examples of the Palaeologan revival.The exterior view of the building is defined strongly by the heights of different spaces. Thereis a single minaret at the southwest corner, accessed from the exterior. Its baroque capprobably dates from the 1845 renovation.

8/14/2019 Cami - Fethiye [Pammakaristos Manastiri]

2/2