General Description

The Mosque of Reçep Pasha was built on 1588 in Rhodes Old Town, at the square now known as Dorieos square and it is one of the earliest and most important samples of Ottoman architecture on the island. Its high construction quality and the careful, harmonious analogies of the temple suggest that it was the work of an experienced architect with a specialised crew of craftsmen. It consists of a square domed prayer hall, a three part portico and minaret, and the site is completed by Reçep Pasha’s mausoleum and the ablution fountains.

The buildings are made of lime stone in a pseudo-isodomic system, with a high resistance intermediate filling. The hall area is covered by a half-circle dome, supported by a pseudo-drum. The ornate outer reliefs of the ground floor windows, their marble framings and the impressive arched entrance stand out for their bold colour combination and ornate relief framing. The portico, with the elevated platform is covered by three smaller domes and is supported by four marble pillars. The minaret is a typical design of the era, with an octagonal base and cylindrical main body, in its present form, while in the initial design it also had a minaret and a conical point.

On the temple indoors area, the perfectly preserved mihrab alcove is impressive, built with chiselled marble elements. A wooden gallery, supported by a marble pillar, whose size has changed during the ages, was the matroneum. The larger part of the minbar, with its marble staircase is also quite well preserved.