Five medieval mosques have flat wooden roofs held up by forests of carved wooden columns. They are plain outside and warm inside, and all five are working mosques.
- Afyonkarahisar Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami), Afyonkarahisar town, Afyonkarahisar province, built 1272, 40 wooden columns
- Sivrihisar Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami), Sivrihisar town, Eskişehir province, 67 wooden columns
- Ahi Şerafettin (Aslanhane) Mosque, Ankara old quarter beside the castle, Ankara province, built about 1290, 24 wooden columns
- Eşrefoğlu Mosque, Beyşehir town on Lake Beyşehir, Konya province, built 1296-1299, 42 cedar columns
- Mahmut Bey Mosque, Kasaba village, about 17 km from Kastamonu city, Kastamonu province, second half of the 14th century
Inscribed 2023Five provincesCultural
Video
Step Inside the Timeless Craftsmanship of Ahi Şerafettin (Arslanhane) Mosque (Go Türkiye). Watch on YouTube.
Plan your visit
- Getting there: Fly to Ankara Esenboğa (ESB). The Aslanhane Mosque in Ankara's old quarter is easiest to reach. Buses run from Ankara to Afyon, Sivrihisar, Beyşehir and Kastamonu. A hire car is best to see all five. Bases: Ankara, Afyon, Beyşehir, Kastamonu.
- How long: Allow 30 to 60 minutes per mosque.
- Best time: Go outside prayer times and in daylight, so the inside is lit.
- Tickets and hours: All five are working mosques. Check the current price and hours on the official page, or ask the local tourism office.
- Tip: Start with Aslanhane in Ankara. It is the easiest to reach and is near the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.
- Tip: Treat Kasaba and Sivrihisar as car-only side trips.
- Nearby: Ankara Castle and the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations are beside the Aslanhane Mosque.
UNESCO listingOfficial visitor pageDirections in Google Maps
Header photo: Inside the Eşrefoğlu Mosque, Beyşehir — Photo: Dosseman via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Inscription details checked on 8 November 2026 with UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Prices, hours and transport change, so check the official page before you go.
