An Essay on Period Analysis Based on the Plan Features of Van Red Minaret Mosque

Abstract

This study focuses on the period analysis of the Red Mosque (Kızıl Cami/Sinaniye), located in the eastern quarter of the Old City of Van (Lower Citadel), which is the subject of differing views regarding its architectural history. In the literature, its minaret is generally dated to the 13th-century Seljuk period, while its sanctuary (harim) section is dated to 16th-century Ottoman renovations. This research argues the hypothesis that the sanctuary section of the structure also bears original plan traces belonging to the pre-Ottoman period. A qualitative research method was adopted for this study; a comparative period analysis was conducted using field surveys, measured drawing (rölöve) studies, and maps by travelers such as Texier and Lynch. In addition to this comparative analysis, mosque typology in Islamic architecture was examined, and its relationship with the Red Mosque was investigated. It is observed that the plan scheme of the Red Mosque exhibits a distinct typological similarity to the Talhatan Baba Mosque, an 11th-century Karakhanid period work. Consequently, when the structure's location within the dense urban fabric, the relationship of its minaret ornamentation with the Seljuk tradition, and its plan geometry are evaluated as a whole, it can be stated that the Red Mosque was constructed in the middle or late 12th century.