Turkish Occupation Period

The mosque was built on 1587-1588 by Reçep Pasha, in the middle of the fortified city of Rhodes, where the Turks were living and it is typical of the second phase of Ottoman architecture. According to the typology of this phase’s monuments, the square praying hall is covered by a dome, the entrance is through a portico, a semi-open passageway covered by three smaller domes, and the building is accompanied by the minaret. The “shardivans”, fountains for ritual ablution and purifying before the prayers, were also built here; the Pasha’s Mausoleum was built a little later, around 1600. It is possible that the marble pillars of the portico initially belonged to an older monument, as on the body of the main one, to the left of the entrance, one can see an engraved cross of the old Christian style.

End of 18th century

Gypsum constructions are added to the interior decorations, covering the older ones; an example is the dome brims and the top of the dome, from where the chandelier is suspended, where a conical construction with engraved vine leaves covers the prior marble prism element which was similar to the mihrab décor. It was possibly during this period that the outdoors wooden covering was added around the portico, as well as the outdoors mihrab, carved on the walls, due to the need for more praying space. At the same time, the attic on the interior becomes smaller, and the marble pillar was moved about 1.45 m. towards the north-western wall.

Italian Occupation period

During the Italian occupation we find the new purification fountain with the octagonal pavilion, possibly built at the beginnings of the 20th century. The temple is still operating as a mosque, it is well maintained in regards of walls as well as in the interior decorations, while the minaret round part is being re-constructed, to correct some stability issues, by adding to height under the gallery (şerefe). The wooden shelter is still here, as well as the high walls around the small yard of the main façade with the main iron gate. The second level windows at the openings and the dome bear a gypsum frame with coloured glass.

World War II

On 1944, a bomb fell on the north corner of the monument, causing a lot of damage to the walls up to 3m., the north-western side window, a small part of the wooden shelter, as well as irreparable damage to the stability of the portico. There was an attempt for restoration with in situ concrete and limestone, iron elevators and the addition of a wall vertical to the North-eastern side, continuing the main side walls, as a buttress.

Present day

Nowadays, after many years of research and careful restoration works, the construction has regained stability, the portico has been replaced with a combination of old and new stones, the pillars bear new types of pillar heads, with the exception of one original. The frames and lead surfaces on the domes have been replaced, as were the surrounding railings, and the minaret is strengthened from its 20th century state, when its upper part was demolished due to stability problems.