Besides the grand buildings of the royal mosques themselves, many additional structures and facilities are connected to them. These include colleges for students of Islamic law, called rehmele, as well as kitchens where food is prepared for the poor. Hospitals, known as Timarbanelar, provide medical care, and inns, or Hans, offer lodging for travelers and strangers.
Public fountains supply water to the surrounding area, while workshops for artisans and whole streets of low cottages provide homes for the poor. These cottages are rented at very low rates, ensuring that even the poorest citizens have a place to live. All of these attached buildings and services support the mosque and serve the community, reflecting the mosque’s role as both a religious and social center.
Sources of Revenue
The attached institutions generate income for the mosque. The funds collected are managed by the rector or president of the mosque, called the Mutevelli. However, these revenues alone are often not enough to maintain such large and active establishments. To supplement the mosque’s income, lands, villages, forests, mountains, and even entire regions, called trakfi, are assigned to support the mosque Private Tour Ephesus.
These lands are rented out at fixed rates, sometimes paid in cash, but often in kind, such as corn, oil, or other provisions. In newly conquered territories, portions of land are specifically allocated for the benefit of mosques in Constantinople. For example, after the conquest of the region near Nevchaufell, about two thousand villages were assigned to provide income for mosques built by the present Queen Mother.
Use of Tithes
In some cases, rents are collected as tenths or tithes from the assigned lands. The Turks do not require tithes as a religious obligation, as in some other faiths, but use them as a practical and fair method of collecting income for mosque maintenance. These tithes are a convenient way to ensure a steady supply of funds and provisions for religious institutions.
Integration with Daily Life
The mosques, along with their colleges, hospitals, inns, fountains, workshops, and cottages, form a comprehensive system of religious, educational, and social support. They provide for students, the poor, travelers, and artisans alike. At the same time, the income from lands and villages ensures that these services continue without interruption. Through this structure, royal mosques serve not only as centers of worship but as vital institutions for education, charity, and community welfare throughout the empire.