Ottoman scholar’s 1701 mosque gets its lead dome rebuilt

Kursunlu Mosque and Madrassa in Erzurum is undergoing restoration. The city lies in eastern Türkiye, about 1,050 kilometers (650 miles) east of Istanbul and not far from the Georgian and Armenian borders. The 1701 complex takes its name from its lead-covered dome.

The mosque and madrasa were built at the same time in 1701, forming a single complex in Erzurum, a highland city in the Eastern Anatolia region. 

The site is now 325 years old. Its builder, an Ottoman religious scholar, commissioned both structures together.

Feyzullah Efendi, who commissioned the complex, taught Sultan Ahmed and served as sheikh ul-Islam, the Ottoman Empire’s top religious authority, under Sultans Mehmed IV and Mustafa II. His name is tied to the site’s earliest history.

Sources also refer to the complex as the Feyziye Mosque and Madrasa, after its founder. The mosque later became widely known as Kursunlu, which means “leaded” in Turkish, because its dome is covered in lead.

The madrasa is noted for educating scholars in past centuries. Murat Uslu, head of the Erzurum Regional Directorate of Foundations, described it as a school that produced men of learning and said it carries a historical sensitivity.

The directorate began work about one month ago. Crews first replaced the worn lead on the roof, then turned to the deteriorated floor, interior paint and plaster, as well as the annex buildings and ablution facilities.

The dome, covered entirely in lead, is being rebuilt to match its original form. 

Repair and renovation are also under way in the madrassa sections, which are part of the same restoration project.

The complex is a registered monument, so every step needs approval. 

Uslu said, “Since it is a registered work, we carry out our work in line with the original, within the project approved by the Cultural Heritage Conservation Board.”

Uslu said restoration could finish within 10 days if weather allows. The mosque is expected to reopen for worship soon. He added that the madrassa’s educational role is to continue through the Presidency of Religious Affairs and civil society groups.