Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
SANAT TARIHI DERGISI, cilt.32, sa.1, ss.361-391, 2023 (ESCI)
Rize, which stands out with its geographical structure, climate and flora, also claims a unique place with its historical and cultural characteristics. Although its historical background could not be revealed clearly, the past of the city of Rize dates back to the 10th and 8th centuries BC. These territories, which were home to different states and nations, became part of the Ottoman Empire after the conquest of Trabzon by Mehmed II the Conqueror in 1461. With the conquest of Rize, which was a center of Batumi, Muslim people began to be settled here, and building activities gained momentum. Construction activities, which were not very intense until the 18th century, gained speed with the construction of places of worship after this century. The climate of Rize, whose altitude rises inwards from the Black Sea coast, has considerably affected its vegetation. This has resulted in many tree varieties such as pine, hornbeam, elm, alder, linden, oak, fir and spruce. This diversity has provided the main building material of the architectural works to be built. As a wooden building material has been preferred in many areas, starting from civil and religious architecture, especially for serenders (a kind of room resting on four pillars), to daily household items. The mosques built from wood, that is, from cantis (a type of house built with sawn wood and without nails), occupy a special place in the region. Ikizdere, which is one of the twelve districts of Rize and which the largest area, is a settlement established on both sides of a long valley that does not border the coast. Located in Simsirli Village of Ikizdere, Yukari Mahalle Mosque stands out with its traditional architectural structure, local decorations and its master builder. According to the inscription on the entrance door and mihrab, the mosque was built by Ameli Usta Ahmet between 1853 and 1857. Although this date is mostly agreed upon due to the inscription, archival studies about the mosque showed that the building dates back to earlier times. In the records of the foundation, it is stated that Ahmed was appointed to the mosque in 1796 and 1797 after the death of Mustafa. This shows that the mosque was built before the specified date, but it is not possible to give an exact date. The appointments of imams for the mosque continued until 1822, and no record has been found after this date. The mosque in Simsirli Village, which is located on a slope, was first built on a suitable stone sub-basement or platform due to the lack of a flat area. The wooden curtain walls of the mosque, which was built with wolfboat (using the materials according to the peculiarities of a given settlement) inserts using the canti technique, were animated with windows with regional bow-tie grids. The sanctuary is accessed from the two-storey, open narthex to the north of the mosque through a wooden door that stands out with its decorations. The sanctuary is designed in the size of a village mosque. The wooden mihrab, located just across the entrance, is unique to the region, with its shape gradually narrowing from bottom to top. This also goes for the structure and decoration of the wooden pulpit right next to the mihrab and the square sermon pulpit. The women's gathering place, located in the north of the sanctuary and carried by wooden pillars, increases the usage area of the interior by surrounding the sanctuary from three directions. The sanctuary is covered with a wooden ceiling from the inside and a hipped roof from the outside. Foundation records of the building, its characteristics features, and vegetal and geometric fictions processed on wood are essential. Especially the tulip motifs that have become classics for the region, but also the bow tie, almond cross, seal of Suleiman, crescent star, cleat and leaf designs and other geometric patterns are valuable in terms of composition.