Where is the kalenderhane mosque? What is the history of kalenderhane mosque?
The Mosque is located next to the Valens Aqueduct on the left hand side of the road from Vezneciler to Süleymaniye. It is estimated that the church was built between 9th and 12th centuries. It was used for different purposes throughout its history. The building, which was used as a church and abbey in the Byzantine era, was transformed into a Roman Catholic Church in the time of the invasion of the Byzantium by Latin.
It was transformed into a zawiya (a small Islamic dervish lodge) by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, and given to Kalenderi dervishes. They used the building as a madrasah. The name Kalenderhane comes from this incident.
In the first half of the 18th century, it was transformed into a mosque by Babüssaade Ağası Beşir Ağa. It was damaged in a huge fire in the 19th century and restored in 1854. In 1930 its minaret was destroyed by a lightning strike. After this unfortunate incident, the mosque remained dilapidated, and in 1968, it was restored and opened to worship.
Source: Harun Kırkıl, Read About and Travel Around ISTANBUL, Erkam Publications