The Valide Mosque (Greek: Βαλιδέ Τζαμί, from Turkish: Valide Camii, lit. 'Mosque of the Valide Sultan') is a historical mosque in Mytilene, on the island of Lesbos in Greece.
Description
The mosque is located in the old Turkish quarter of the city, Epano Skala.[1] According to its founder's inscription above its entrance, it was built in 1615, making it one of the oldest mosques in the island.[1]
It is built of stone masonry, and comprises a single level, with a pitched roof. A stone-paved courtyard once existed with a marble fountain, accessed through a marble staircase. The interior decoration was in coloured frescos, which were covered by a dark colour after the Muslim population left the island. The c. 6 metres (20 ft) high mihrab featured stucco decoration.[1] The Arabic-style minaret is constructed from red stone quarried in Ayvalık, and is almost entirely preserved apart from a portion of its top.[2]
The building and its minaret were designated as protected monuments by the Greek Ministry of Culture in 1981, but have not been restored.[2] In early 2018, 1.2 million euros were designated for restoration work of the building, under the supervision of the Lesbos Ephorate of Antiquities.[2]
