An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 shook the earth on 24th of January, 2020 in Malatya, damaging the famous Battalgazi Mosque and, consequently, leading to closure for worship. The 800-year-old mosque is currently under restoration, and efforts are being made to open it to visitors.

Built in 1224 in the Battalgazi district during the rule of the Seljuk ruler Aladdin Kaykubad I, the mosque is the only surviving example of the architectural tradition of the Seljuk mosque building in Anatolia. It was built of brick and stone and contains places of worship in summer and winter.

The work carried out by the Regional Directorate of Malatya Funds is scheduled to be completed in May 2022.

The regional director of the Malatya Foundation, Adem Bakanli, said that the mosque is an architectural monument built within the city walls of Battalgazi, and they are trying to ensure that the building is preserved for future generations who will be able to appreciate it.

Bakanli also noted that the work required an initial amount of about 10.6 million Turkish lira ($1.1 million) and added that the figure may increase as the work continues.

Source of information:

http://www.dailysabah.com