Laleli Bodrum Mesihpaşa Mosque

Laleli Bodrum Mesihpaşa Mosque

 

The bodrum Mosque 

(Bodrum Mesihpaşa Mosque or the Church of Mireloin as it was formerly named) is a religious building that dates from the Eastern Roman era. It was ordered by Emperor Romanos Lekapenos as church for the Mireloin Monastery in the 10th century. It was turned into a mosque by the XGrand Vizier Mesih Paşa during the reign of Bayezid II. There is a rotunda that dates from the 5th century near the church. Romanos Lakapenos covered the top of the building in the 10th century and ordered the building of a palace which  has not survived to the present. The church was also built in this period. The church is built of brick. It is planned as a closed cross with four brackets. The main building is covered with ahigh dome with windows in it. To the east of the building there is an apse with three facades. It is semi-circular inside and cells designed as clovers are on both sides of this apse. The original structure of the dtome has been preserved. There is also a cestern near the mosque.