The restoration of one of the mightiest structures of the Seljuk period, the Divriği Mosque located in Sivas to the east of central Turkey, restarted on Feb. 28 after a two-year hiatus.
A re-tender started in 2017 but could not be completed. The tender contract of the firm, which was restored by the Directorate General of Foundations, was rectified in 2019 due to the price increase.
The Great Mosque and hospital, which was designed and built by architect Hürrem Şah bin Muğis El-Hılati of Ahlat on the orders of Emir Ahmed Shah, the ruler of the Mengujekids in 1229, was built in the honor of the Turkish victory against the Byzantine Empire in the Battle of Manzikert in 1071.
Included on the World Cultural Heritage List by UNESCO in 1985, the structure is quoted as the "Alhambra of Anatolia" with its architectural style, ornamentation, and the balance and harmony of covering systems onto columns and piers.
"It has a history of 800 years. The structure is the climax of stonemasonry and this mighty work is our center in culture and faith tourism. I hope Sivas' Divriği will revive and allow visitors from all over the world. Besides, we must preserve the work of our ancestors and pass it on to future generations. It is a very valuable work for both us and humanity," Sivas Governor Salih Ayhan said.
"The tender was held again in 2021, costing approximately TL 60 million (over $4.3 million). Hopefully, the process will begin soon if the weather conditions allow. The restoration has already completed many stages, the next part is easy. Tender, contract and site delivery have been completed. Maybe within a month or at the beginning of April, the restoration will immediately start. We have no time to lose. We will make up for the time we have already lost," he added.
The restoration process started when President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited the district of Divriği in 2010. Ayhan stated that the construction of the roads, the arrangements around the site, the expropriation and the statistical examinations were initiated upon the president's visit.
Highlighting the restoration timeline, he added: "It requires a long process. First of all, we cleaned the surrounding area. We completed the expropriation process. Subsequently, the restoration projects were approved. The first restoration tender was held in 2015, and the first stage was completed then. Still, it is not easy to schedule the restoration for such buildings."