Divriği’s architectural plasticity: Study in Seljuk innovation and cross-cultural analogy

The Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği, constructed in the early 1220s under the joint patronage of Ahmed Şah and Turan Melek, stands as a groundbreaking fusion of Seljuk architectural innovation and sculptural artistry. This study reveals how the complex, attributed to master builder Hürremşah of Ahlat and his cosmopolitan workshop, defies conventional Anatolian Seljuk design by integrating high-relief stone carving, vegetal motifs, and rigorous structural techniques into a courtyard-less, multi-aisled mosque plan. The ensemble’s portals, particularly the North Portal and Darüşşifa entrance, exhibit unprecedented plastic dynamism, drawing heuristic parallels with later European Gothic and Baroque styles without implying direct influence. The research highlights Divriği’s unique programmatic complexity, including a modified four-iwan scheme, lanterned dome, and integrated mausoleum, positioning it as a monumental example where architecture transcends into sculpture through local craftsmanship.

Sönmez, N. Y. Ş. (2025). Divriği’s architectural plasticity: Study in Seljuk innovation and cross-cultural analogy. Architecture Papers of the Faculty of Architecture and Design STU, 30(4), 20–29. https://doi.org/10.2478/alfa-2025-0021