The Mosque of the Janissaries, The Venetian Harbour, Chania, Crete.
Located in the old Venetian Harbor, the Mosque was built on the grounds of a former church which had one nave. No longer functioning as a religious building, it remains the oldest structure from the Ottoman period.
Also known as the Kucjk Hassan Mosque, the building in its current form dates back to the year 1645, when the Turks captured Chania; it is the oldest Ottoman building on the island.
It stopped functioning as a mosque in 1923, and, since then, the venue has been used as a café, a restaurant, and a tourist office over the years. In the recent past, the mosque has been renovated, becoming a space dedicated to exhibitions.
The Janissaries were enslaved non-Muslims (since under Ottoman law, people who had been born Muslim could not be enslaved). The Sultan would choose Janissaries from the promising boys in his realm. Subject to very strict discipline, the Janissaries were extremely skilled soldiers feared by every other member of society. They would wear special uniforms and were paid a high salary as well as a pension upon their retirement.
The Mosque of the Janissaries, The Venetian Harbour, Chania, Crete.
Located in the old Venetian Harbor, the Mosque was built on the grounds of a former church which had one nave. No longer functioning as a religious building, it remains the oldest structure from the Ottoman period.
Also known as the Kucjk Hassan Mosque, the building in its current form dates back to the year 1645, when the Turks captured Chania; it is the oldest Ottoman building on the island.
It stopped functioning as a mosque in 1923, and, since then, the venue has been used as a café, a restaurant, and a tourist office over the years. In the recent past, the mosque has been renovated, becoming a space dedicated to exhibitions.
The Janissaries were enslaved non-Muslims (since under Ottoman law, people who had been born Muslim could not be enslaved). The Sultan would choose Janissaries from the promising boys in his realm. Subject to very strict discipline, the Janissaries were extremely skilled soldiers feared by every other member of society. They would wear special uniforms and were paid a high salary as well as a pension upon their retirement.