Symbolizing wisdom, the owl motif on the main entrance of Selimiye Mosque bears traces of ancient Turkish art.
Mehmet Ali Esmer, an architect and general manager of the Sinan and Selimiye Mosque Foundation, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the owl motif can be seen when looking up at the muqarnas on the mosque’s main entrance.
Esmer said the owl symbolized wisdom, vigilance and protection in ancient Turkish architecture, adding that owl motifs can also be found on tombs and carpets in Central Asia.
Explaining that muqarnas, a form of geometric ornamentation in Islamic art, were used in arches and domes to create architectural emphasis, Esmer said, “After serving a functional purpose, they were also given symbolic meanings and some were designed to resemble various animals considered sacred.”
Esmer noted that the owl motif was used in Turkish architecture even before Mimar Sinan.
While some argue that the motif at Selimiye Mosque emerged by coincidence, Esmer said it was the result of deliberate work.
“It exists in earlier mosques as well, particularly in forms resembling an owl, because the owl is an important and sacred animal in Turkish mythology and history. With its ability to see in the dark, its dignified posture, patience and hunting skills, it represents wisdom,” he said.
Esmer said Turks incorporated elements they considered sacred into their architectural works, adding that the owl motif was one such detail.
He said Mimar Sinan developed this architectural heritage from the past and incorporated it into Selimiye Mosque.
“The owl motif did not originate with Mimar Sinan; it existed before him. Sinan further developed and refined it, applying it in a highly accomplished form at Selimiye Mosque,” he said.
Esmer said it would be inaccurate to view the motif simply as “Sinan made it and there it is,” stressing that Mimar Sinan’s work was the result of knowledge and experience inherited from Turkish history.
Esmer also noted that Sinan developed and applied at Selimiye Mosque the system of three separate routes in the minaret, which had first been used at the Üç Şerefeli Mosque, emphasizing that Turkish architecture should be considered as a whole.
Esmer urged visitors to Selimiye Mosque to examine the owl motif carefully.
“I would like them to look at it with an awareness that, according to Turkish beliefs, this animal was considered sacred because of its inherent characteristics and was therefore incorporated into the architecture and with an understanding that this owl motif is a continuation of an ancient Turkish artistic tradition,” he said.
“I would like them not to confine Mimar Sinan to his own era, but to look at the motif by understanding what the owl motif that emerged with Sinan at Selimiye has meant both in the past and today.”
