Locations
Tuzla Mosque in Larnaca
| Project Overview | |
|---|---|
| Start date of works | 23 September 2024 |
| End date of works | 30 May 2025 |
| Type of intervention | Conservation Works |
| Total project cost | €493,224 |
Historical background information
The site is situated in the historic urban fabric of Tuzla neighborhood, in Larnaca city. It consists of a large rectangular building of a mosque with a portico and a minaret, situated in a large, fenced plot with traces of other architectural remains in its premises. The building itself bears obvious historic phases and transformations and incorporated spolia in its structure.
The mosque’s structure is dated to medieval times, evidently a church, to which in the Ottoman period a portico, minaret, mihrab and minbar were added to convert it into a mosque. In recent years archaeological excavations to the east and south-east side of the mosque have shown that the medieval building, later converted into a mosque, is itself constructed on the foundations of a basilica building with three apses. Withing the prayer-hall, previously the nave of the church, various frescoes, in a good state of preservation, have been discovered under the gypsum whitewash. The conservation and restoration of the building began in 1999 and was completed in 2001.
Opposite the mosque is a well-preserved Venetian period public water fountain and an Ottoman period hammam.
Main interventions for this site include:
- Removal of the vegetation on the site
- Reconstruction of east external concrete base
- Restoration of portico’s floor
- New timber raised flooring inside the main prayer hall
- Filling of the area with gravel inside the school room
- Salt cleaning of all stone masonry walls
- Treatment of all stone walls against biodegrading
- Pointing and joint filling works on the masonry walls
- Mass consolidation of the foundation with grout injection for humidity barrier along perimeter walls of the building
- Treatment of masonry walls for cracks
- Stitching of vertical cracks on the façade
- Restoration of transverse intermediate arch and pillars
- Installation of tie rods at main prayer hall
- Treatment of existing tie rods
- Removal of east façade’s external plaster and replastering
- Removal of cement-based blocks and new filling
- Removal of school room’s internal plaster and replastering
- Treatment of portico’s area plaster
- Treatment of portico’s arcade arches
- Treatment of external flying buttresses
- Repair of portico’s roof tiles
- Installation of new roof rainwater drainage system
- External strengthening of cross-vaulted roof
- Application of new waterproof cover on cross-vaulted roof
- Treatment of roof’s stone cornices, parapets and gutters
- Conservation works on the minaret (strengthening of the shaft and internal cylindrical pillar)
- Conservator’s work on the restoration works on mihrab, minbar, wall paintings and plasters
- Pedestrian walkway platform and Drywall construction
Click HERE to see more photos from the completion event.
This is a project of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, funded by the ALIPH Foundation, with financial support from the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme.