The 200-year-old Cami-i Kebir in Elazığ is waiting to be developed for tourism.

The 200-year-old Cami-i Kebir and its minaret in the Maden district of Elazığ are waiting to be restored and brought into tourism.

The Maden district of Elazığ stands out with its historical structures. One of them is the approximately 200-year-old Cami-i Kebir and its minaret. The mosque, which is from the Ottoman architecture with its 8-sided minaret, still serves the people of the district. The mosque and its minaret, which are one of the most important structures of the district and give its name to the neighborhood where it is located, are waiting to be restored and developed for tourism.

Süleyman Deniz Seyrek, the President of the Copper Mine Culture, Tourism, Development and Solidarity Association, stated, “We are currently inside the Cami-i Kebir. Cami-i Kebir means the grand mosque of the district. Just like the Maden Government Mansion and Clock Tower, this place is one of the 19th-century Ottoman architectures. In fact, in our research in the state archives, we found that in a telegram sent from the Maden district to the capital in 1902, it is understood that the Clock Tower and the minaret of the mosque were inaugurated on the same day. As read on the inscription here, there is a minaret built by the contributions of the citizens during that period by the governor of the time. So, what makes Cami-i Kebir special is its minaret. This 8-sided minaret reflects the architectural style of that period. It is one of the most important historical artifacts of our district.”

President Seyrek, reminding that Cami-i Kebir had illustrations in the Serveti Fünun magazine during the Ottoman period, said, “Due to being in an avalanche area in recent times, restoration works for the building cannot be carried out at the moment. In the near future, a restoration work here will not only restore the building to its original form but also meet the demands of the citizens. Because some additions and arrangements made after the construction of the building are contrary to the original structure in some parts. A restoration to be done in a short time will give the building its original appearance. Some visuals in newspapers like the Serveti Fünun during the Ottoman period reflect the original appearance of the building at that time. Cami-i Kebir is an important historical artifact of the Maden district both architecturally and culturally.”

Providing information about the mosque and its minaret, Seyrek said, “The neighborhood is named after Cami-i Kebir due to the mosque. When we look at many historical cities, every neighborhood with a Cami-i Kebir is referred to as Cami-i Kebir neighborhood. As we said, the minaret was opened in 1902. It is a 122-year-old minaret. However, it is stated that the mosque was built before the minaret and the mosque is approximately 200 years old, although not precisely dated. Since there is no official document, the dating of the mosque cannot be done.”