The mosques of Abdülhamid II

From the periods of Hz. Muhammad (sav) and his companies until today, great importance has been given to the construction of mosques and masjids throughout the whole Islamic world, every place where Islam spreads is equipped with magnificient mosques having various architectural and artistic characteristics according to circumstances of the time and the conditions of the day. Sultan Abdulhamid II spent a lot of money on building and repairs of the mosques from his own budget. Unlike the previous sultans, instead of having magnificent monumental mosques built in the capital city, Istanbul, he showed special sensitivity to the development and public improvements of Anatolia. For that reason, intensive construction activities were carried out on all four sides of the Ottoman geography, from the neighbourhoods, towns to even the most remote villages, the widest mass as possible as were tried to reach with a great number of works. Sultan Abdulhamid, within the borders of present day Turkey, according to the archival documents and the other sources, had 125 mosques built by covering the cost from Hazine-i Hassa his own treasury. Only 49 of the mosques Abdulhamid had those built have survived because of unconscious reconstruction activities and repairment activities. The poor condition of the Ottoman Empire's economy naturally affected the construction activities negatively, unlike the previous periods expensive construction activities were avoided. The tradition of imperial mosque, like the one of the previous centuries, was avoided, smaller religious structures to meet the need were constructed. From 19th century, quarters, new palace, structures, school buildings, terminals, clock towers and new trade structures in Western style instead of grand monumental mosques marking to the capital city, Istanbul started to again importance in the shadows of the city. In the recent period that intense westernization effects have been seen, the current plan and establishment characteristics of the mosques have remained basically the same; but a decoration program in which Western Turkish Baroque, Rococo, Gothic, Ampiri and Orientalist elements were used together in decoration elements, eclectic style dominated was applied. The European influence is felt quite intense in the mosques in Istanbul. Although not as intense as in Istanbul, it is possible to see the influence of the West in the mosques built in the countryside. However, Western or eclectic influences have been handled with local interpretations on Anatolian mosques. In addition, the mosques built in the countryside is more modest than the ones in Istanbul. One of the most important reasons why Abdulhamid II had mosques built around the country is to help the Muslim people to worship and protect his own people against the harmful effects of missionary activities. In addition to these issues, to create a unity of faith caliphate centered by bringing the currents such as Yezidism, Shiism and Nusayriya in Sunnism, providing those people's loyalty to the caliph is the ultimate goal. Sultan Abdülhamid thus aimed to maintain the state which was at the threshold of the dispersion with the increasing nationalist movements that emerged all over the Ottoman geography and with the attempts of the great states to break up and share the Ottoman Empire and he aimed to provide social integrity. Sultan Abdülhamid didn't avoid from using zoning activities to the end of his possibilities in order to realize this purpose. Keywords: Mosque, Abdülhamid II, The Last Period Mosque Architecture