Niğde Alaaddin Mosque


Niğde Alaaddin Mosque is a historical mosque in Niğde, Turkey.
The mosque is in the historical castle of Niğde at.
The mosque was constructed in 1223 during the reign of Keyqubad I of Sultanate of Rum. It was commissioned by Ziynettin Beşare, the local governor of Niğde in behalf of the sultan. The chief architect of the mosque was Sıddık, the son of Mahmut. His brother Gazi was his assistant.
The building material is cut stone. There are two portals: the one in the east side is monumental. The second gate is in the north side. There are three domes in the southern part of the mosque. The minaret is located in the northeastern corner of the square building.

Shadow design

During mid-morning hours the shadows of the stone carvings of the east portal draws the chiaroscuro portrait of a crowned woman. According to legend, this shadow is the silhouette of the commissioner's daughter with whom the architect fell in love. It could also be the remnants of a goddess cult or an allusion to Maria, a kind of inclusive attitude to the christian population in the area. Outright pictures are avoided in Islam but tessellations and calligraphic pictures were allowed, so designed "accidental" silhouettes of carved stone tessellations over the entrance became a creative escape. This is probably an early example of artful sciography using pareidolia.