The Mosque of Recep Pasha
A gateway on the north side of Omirou Street leads through into the open area of Dorieos Square, shaded by mature ficus trees and dominated to the east by the most beautiful and architecturally interesting of the many mosques built by the Turks in the city—the *Recep Pasha Cami of 1588. What distinguishes it from the others are the beautifully proportioned forms of its gently rising profile and the fineness of its external decoration— never ostentatious, and always enhancing to the primary structure. Its form gives the pleasure of a unified piece of sculpture.
On the exterior viewed from the side are three levels of cornice-lines, each beautifully defined with simple moulding; the windows are articulated with carved arches, ornate at the lower levels, and sober at the top around the dome; the subtle passage from (the 16-sided) drum to circular dome is made manifest by a running polygonal cornice around its crown. More elaborate decoration is used only at the base of the broken minaret and around the imposing central door way. The surface decorations of the interior (currently closed for restoration) include 16th century Iznik tile panels bearing Koranic verses in fine calligraphy; there are also painted panels of floral decoration above the windows, which use the colours and motifs of Iznik-ware. The building incorporates monolithic columns from earlier Christian structures. It is the work of an architect of considerable accomplish ment. Above the door is the dedicatory inscription of Recep Pasha, expressing the justified wish that the space ‘may inspire an uplifting of the spirit’.
The octagonal shadirvan, or ritual fountain, to the west has survived in good condition: overgrown with vegetation, to the east side, is the turbe or mausoleum of Recep Pasha— its windows embellished with the interlocking voussoirs typical of high, Ottoman architecture.
Rhodes Island is part of the Dodecanese Island Group, Greece.