The calligraphies in the tiles of Istanbul Kılıç Ali Paşa Mosque

Our mosques, which are important works of classical Ottoman architecture, appear as an important application area in terms of following the development process of calligraphy, which is an indispensable element of interior architecture. Known as the cultural as well as political capital of the Ottoman World State, Istanbul has been the cradle of beautiful architectural works in the centuries after the conquest. Our mosques, which are cultural treasures reflecting a civilization, realized their brightest period with Sinan structures. In this context, the calligraphies in the tiles of the Kılıç Ali Pasha Mosque in Istanbul are the research topic of our thesis. The the Iznik product and underglaze technique calligraphies on tile panels are located on the window pediments and above the altar. The mosque in question, which was built by the Architect Sinan (M.1580) by the order of Kaptan-ı Derya Kılıç Ali Pasha, is decked with the celi calligraphies of calligrapher Yusuf Demircikulu, who adopted the Karahisari style, transferred to stone and tiles. In particular, the musennâ inscription above the main entrance of the mosque has become one of the most significant collections of calligraphy. The thesis also discusses the interaction of Demircikulu writings with architecture. In the research, especially writings on the tiles were emphasized. The importance of the relationship between space and text in architecture and the motifs in the text are examined. Further information was given about the mosque's builder, architect and calligrapher, and it was aimed to shed light on the importance of writing in architecture. Keywords: Mimar Sinan, mosque, calligraphy, tile, arcthitecture