Historical Yakupağa Social Complex and Mosque (1547)

History and General Information / Local Legends and Folklore The historical Yakupağa Complex is a masterpiece of classical Ottoman social complex architecture, built in 1547 by Yavuz Sultan Selim and Yakup Ağa, the Chief Treasurer of Suleiman the Magnificent, during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, when the Ottoman Empire was a world state. The complex rises on the southern slopes of Kastamonu Castle, on a hill overlooking the city; It is the living example of the social state concept of the period with its monumental mosque with an inverted T plan (zawiya), madrasah, soup kitchen, primary school and soup kitchen. The two large domes of the mosque built of cut stone, the marble crown gate with muqarnas and the door wings with wooden kundekari workmanship display the highest taste in stone and wood of the period. The soup kitchen of the social complex is famous for distributing hot meals to hundreds of poor people, travelers and students every day for centuries. According to local legend, the abundance of the cauldron boiling in this sacred stove, which Chief Treasurer Yakup Agha had built with his own halal earnings, without taking a single penny from the state treasury, has never diminished; Today, the spiritual climate in the courtyard of the social complex grants its visitors a deep peace and tranquility. Geographical Structure, Altitude and Natural Features It is located in Kastamonu central Yavuzselim District, at the foothills of Kelleci Hill, at an altitude of approximately 830 meters. It has a large courtyard surrounded by pine and fruit trees and a unique view of the city from above. Visiting Hours, Days and Entrance Fees