The New Mosque of Mytilini

The New Mosque (Yeni Cami) of Mytilini was built between 1825 and 1826 in the Epano Skala vicinity by the Mytilini nazir, Mustafa Aga Kulaksiz. This is a cross-in-rectangle stone building combining Byzantine and Ottoman architectural elements. The mosque is topped with a wooden semispherical dome supported by four slim pseudo-Corinthian columns. The windows have pointed-arches with the exception of the square windows of the upper gallery and the oval skylights protected by iron grids. The minaret is on the northwestern side and its entrance on the western part of the women’s gallery. Today we can only see its tall square base. There is an esonarthex right behind the entrance, from which start two stone staircases lead to the upper gallery. The mosque’s floor is covered with tufaceous slates and wooden top layer, while in the middle of the southeastern side there is an impressive mihrab, which originally had artful gypsum relief decorations, murals richly adorned with geometric and floral motifs. Today the mosque’s decorations, the domed roof and the greatest part of the minaret are missing. The Archeological Service in the past carried out support and restorative projects to preserve and rehabilitate the monument in the most optimal manner.

Contact Information:

Address: Mytilini, 81100, Lesvos

Tel: (+30) 22510 22087, (+30) 22510 40716, (+30) 22510 42589,  (+30) 22510 40135, (+30) 22510 40136

E-mail: efales@culture.gr