MURAT REIS KULLIYESI (OR COMPLEX OF BUILDINGS)

In Murat Reis Complex of Buildings exist a mosque, the Tomb of Murat Reis, the fountain for ablutions in the courtyard of the mosque, the houses of the sheikh of tekkes (the monasteries of dervishes) and the wardens of the tomb, guesthouses for the dervishes and guests and the tombs of the Turkish historical figures.

Based on the documents that are said to be in the archives of the Head of Government Department in control of estates in mortmain, it is claimed that Murat Reis Mosque is claimed to be constructed on the sea shore together with a fountain by Ebubekir Pasha in 1046 (November 1626).

It is understood from the inscription on the door of the Mosque that the mosque that had fallen into ruin in time was repaired by Murabit Hasan Bey in 1212 the Hegira (1797). The epitaph put during construction is lost. As of today, the complex of buildings is very neglected and not cared for and the mosque was closed down to worship by the security forces which came to the mosque during the teravihnamazi (special evening prayers) in Ramadan of 2002.

SULEIMANIYAH MOSQUE

Suleimaniyah Mosque is one of the newest among the important Turkish architects constructed in Rhodes. It was built by Sultan Suleiman in the place where Saint Apostoli Church was located.

Gabriel De Mauri states that this mosque was destroyed and rebuilt in 1224/1808. In front of the mosque is the fountain for ablutions similar to the other ones. Its minaret is prismatic and two galleried In the photograph which is in the Şeriye Court, it is seen that the body of the minaret is cylindrical and one galleried and its top is conical. With this, it is understood that the current minaret has been built later. As a matter of fact according to the testimonies of the live witnesses, the minaret underwent a general repair in 1925.

The interior of the mosque is quite simple and what is noticed in the entrance is the dark brown mimbar (pulpit) golden work in relief. Demonstrating a good wood engraving, an ayet (passage of the Koran) has been engraved on the pulpit. Near the pulpit is a prayer niche with two half columns on both sides and which is decorated with engravings of flower in the shape of bow.

After it was closed down to worship, its minaret was destroyed for reasons of security.

Currently, the work of restoration is carried out.

İBRAHİM PAŞA MOSQUE

This mosque was built in a square close to the shopping area and it is understood from its inscription that it is the oldest mosque in Rhodes.

The originial minaret of the msque that is two galleried was destroyed because it was old and in 1927 a new concrete minaret with one gallery was built on the base of the former minaret. It is the only mosque in Rhodes open to worship.

SULEIMANIYA MADRESAH

This famous Ottoman Secondary School building was built in 1876 near Suleimaniyah Mosque. Until that date the Turkish children in Rhodes used to go to the schools and madresahs in order to keep themselves busy. In 1876, the educated people such as Ahmet Mithat Efendi, Tevfik Ziya Bey, Cemal Bey were sorry to see that there were no primary, secondary and high school on the island and encouraged the local people to build such a school. The mentioned people came together in the Clock tower and established an association called "Cemiyeti Ilmiye" With the money collected among themselves they had the Suleimaniyah Madresah constructed and ensured that the primary, secondary and high school students received primary education. The building ruined in the earthquake of 1898 was repaired immediately and restarted instruction.

After Nifirinezade Mustafa Efendi, one of the principals and teachers of the primary school, the principal of the school was Mehmet Kadri Dekaka who also published the newspaper of Selam in Rhodes. This building that was in service as the Italian school after the occupation of Italians, continued its instruction as a primary school in which only the Turkish children studied and Turkish and Greek teachers taught jointly until 1972 because 80% of the Turkish children comprised the students after 1947 in which Greeks arrived in the island. In the same year, all the Turkish and religion courses were abolished, some Turkish teachers retired, and it was ensured for some teachers to reach the retirement age by showing them on job.