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English: The Allaedin mosque. (Mosque of Sultan Allaeddin) was Ankara’s first mosque. It was built inside the second walls, in the socalled inner castle. Although is it named after Alaeddin I Keykubad (1220-1237), the Seljuk sultan ruling from his capital city Konya, the inscription on the minber (pulpit) give ‘Hicri 574’ (= 1178 AD) as building date, and Muhiddin Mesut Şah as builder; he was a son of Kılıçaslan II (1156-1192), and thus an uncle of Allaeddin I. The mosque underwent three major restorations: in 1361 and 1434 (by the Ottomans and attested by two cornerstones), and in 1954. As a result, most of the original features of the mosque were lost. Source: ‘Türkye Tarihi Yerler Kılavuzu’ – M.Orhan Bayrak, Inkılâp Kitabevi, Istanbul, 1994.

The building nowadays is not partricular, but it contains a wooden minber (pulpit) that is very special. Dated 1178, and made from hardwood (walnut). The ‘kündekari’ technique has been used: pieces of different sizes are worked separately, and then assembled (like a big jigsaw puzzle), without using any glue, split pin or nail. This technique is extremely difficult.

No wonder that the minber has been signed by the artisan who made it: ‘Ebubekir oğlu Ibrahim Usta’ (= Master Ibrahim, son of Ebubekir). Sources: ‘Türkye Tarihi Yerler Kılavuzu’ – M.Orhan Bayrak, Inkılâp Kitabevi, Istanbul, 1994. & Website of hacitekin.8m.com (ağaçoymacılığı).