41 Buildings of Note
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There are many monumental works in the city of Gaziantep that were built for religious, commercial and social purposes. Most of the buildings that make up the traditional fabric of Antep date from Ottoman times. However, for the most part, the general characteristics of these buildings reflect signs of early Islamic architecture. The mosques of Gaziantep are generally rectangular in design, and in most of them there is a dome in front of the "mihrab" (prayer niche) which serves to highlight this feature. The main section of the mosque usually has a vaulted ceiling supported by buttresses. The facade is usually plain, the only decoration being patterns in the stonework made with stones of different colours.  The types of stone found locally which are known as ‘havara’, ‘keymıh’ and ‘karataş’ ('blackstone') along with red marble, constitute the sole decorative feature on most buildings. Minarets are set on a square base with bevelled corners. With two exceptions, the minarets have a single gallery, which is in most cases is covered. The minaret is usually the most decorated part of the mosque. The area below the gallery is almost always embellished with the finely-carved stone tiers known as "muquarnas" which are a feature of traditional Islamic architecture. Plates or panels of painted porcelain embedded in the stonework are also widely employed as decoration. The gallery balustrades of fine lattice-work are an elegant feature. Inns, known as "han", are important monuments of Seljuk and Ottoman civil architecture that were designed to serve as both guest house and market place for commercial caravans; and were also used to store victuals and ammunition in time of war. The city which takes its name from the powerful flow of its water sources is also famous for its unique water fountains. Turkish examples of the enclosed water fountains called "kastel" are found only in Gaziantep. Being partly or completely underground, they escaped general notice. "Kastels" were usually built as part of a mosque or "külliye" (Islamic social complex attached to a mosque), and although they were plain and unassuming structures, they kept their importance right up until a modern main water system with running taps was built. |
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