The story of Ala Mosque

This mosque in Kadirli began life as a church. Standing east of the Savrun stream, it was built in the 5th century as a Byzantine church and monastery. When Kasım Bey of the Dulkadirids captured the city in 1489, he turned it into a mosque and madrasa, naming it Alaüddevle Mescit after his father; over time the name was shortened to Ala.

A mimbar and a minaret were added in that era. In the 19th century the building served as an Ottoman Army depot, and after 1865 it was restored as a mosque again. It was abandoned in 1924 and stood unused for much of the 20th century.

A restoration that began in 2012 was finished in July 2020. The original building measured 33 m by 19.5 m, so look for traces of the old church in its walls. To the east of the mosque lies a Roman necropolis, an ancient burial ground.