After the 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes that occurred in Kahramanmaraş, 11 provinces suffered great destruction. However, the Sokullu Mehmet Pasha Complex, a work of Mimar Sinan, survived all earthquakes without any damage. Finally, it was not damaged in the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that occurred in Hatay. Therefore, the complex is currently considered safe enough to host earthquake victims. Sokullu Mehmet Pasha Complex is one of the immortal works of Mimar Sinan and holds an important place in Turkey’s cultural heritage.
Regarding the durability, historical and architectural features of the Sokullu Mehmet Pasha Complex, Payas Deputy Mayor Mustafa Yıldız, who opened the complex, said, “This is a historical monument and because it is durable, we took people here for shelter after the earthquake. On the second day, we gave hot meals to approximately 1,300 people,” he said. Sokullu Mehmet Pasha Complex, which has hosted people and passengers in need for centuries, is now home to earthquake victims. The mastery of Mimar Sinan and the construction techniques of the period ensured that the Sokullu Mehmet Pasha Complex was resistant to earthquakes.
Features of Sokullu Mehmet Pasha Complex
Payas Complex, which is a range complex built by Mimar Sinan by Sokollu Mehmet Pasha in 1574, is located on the Istanbul – Aleppo – Damascus – Hejaz road. It is at the intersection of Hajj and Silk Road caravans. The construction purpose of the complex, which is an important work in terms of Turkish-Islamic architecture, is to ensure the safety of the Haci Caravans and trade caravans, the port and military units using this route, and to meet their accommodation. At the same time, Payas is the place where the goods coming to Aleppo via the Silk Road are shipped to Cyprus and Mediterranean countries as a port where they reach the sea.
The construction date of the complex coincides with the Edirne Selimiye Mosque, which Mimar Sinan calls “my masterpiece”, and this rare work is a summary of his architectural background. Payas Complex, one of the largest complexes in Anatolia, sits on an area of 13.000 m2. While ‘Arasta’ with 48 shops forms the main spine in the north-south direction, ‘Inn’, ‘Tabhane’ and ‘Imaret’ open from the east of the arasta and from the west to the ‘Mosque’, ‘Subyan School’ and ‘Castle’ in the madrasah. The ‘Double Bath’, located in the western wing, which can be reached through Arasta, is a complementary part of the building group of the kulliye. The ‘Prayer Dome’, located in the middle of the arasta, is the building element that unites all the buildings on the north-south and east-west axis.
The only inscription of the complex that has survived to the present day is on the upper part of the crown door that provides entrance to the inn in the arasta. The translation of the inscription is as follows: “The vizier of Sultan Selim, the son of Suleiman, whom the world is proud of and who has good morals; He understood that this mortal world is temporary, and seeing that his flag could not be permanent and that this world was a hell in the midst of the vicissitudes; He built and dedicated this inn for the sake of Allah and thus prospered his hereafter while he was still in this world. May Allah accept this unique goodness, it is true that He does not bestow such goodness on everyone. The owner of this work made a date and said: “For the sake of Allah, I dedicated this inn to its passengers.”
Payas Castle
Payas Castle is located in Payas Town of Hatay province and was built by the Genoese. The purpose of its construction is to ensure the safety of the pilgrims going to Jerusalem and to protect the trade caravans. It was also used as a forward expedition headquarters. During the Ottoman period, the castle experienced many wear and tear. For this reason, it was rebuilt by the Ottomans by adhering to the plan. The castle, which was an important base for the Ottomans, has its courtyard in the middle, warehouses and wards around the courtyard, and towers and towers on the upper floors, which can be reached by stairs.
The castle is side by side with the Sokollu Mehmet Pasha complex built by the architect Sinan. Thus, the castle and the complex were considered as a whole. When the poet Namık Kemal was exiled, he was kept in Payas Castle for a while. In the Republican period, it was used as a castle, police station and prison.
