Divriği Great Mosque and Hospital

The Divriği Great Mosque and Hospital stands in the Kale quarter of Divriği in Sivas Province, on the slope below the castle. Ahmet Şah of the Mengücek dynasty commissioned the mosque in 1228. Turan Melek, daughter of Behram Şah, founded the adjoining hospital (darüşşifa). The chief architect was Hürrem Şah of Ahlat. UNESCO listed the complex in 1985.

The outer walls are plain, but the four stone portals are densely carved. The tall north portal has deep high-relief ornament. In the hospital, rooms open onto a covered courtyard with a small pool in the centre. As the sun moves, the portal carvings cast shadows that look like human figures.

A restoration that began in 2015 ended with the reopening on 6 May 2024. Divriği is reached by road or rail; the Eastern Express between Ankara and Kars stops at Divriği station. The building is a working mosque, so check visiting times before you go.