Turkey: Selcuk – Isa Bey Mosque
The town of Selcuk is the gateway to explore Ephesus, and it itself has several must-see attractions. One of them is the Isa Bey Mosque, dating to 1374, and considered one of the best preserved examples of early Seljuk Islamic architecture. The design of the mosque is based on the design of the Great Mosque of Damascus in Syria. High walls form a square structure with a arcaded courtyard inside it with a double-domes main mosque building. The main entrance is lavishly decorated with engraved Islamic calligraphy. Inside the courtyard, there are large columns that are tombstone that were recycled from the nearby Roman Baths. Inside the prayer hall, the atmosphere is very austere and solemn.
