Commissioned by the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II, the mosque was constructed between 1884 and 1886. It follows a rectangular plan and is adorned with one minaret. The architectural style of the mosque is an interesting combination of Neo-Gothic elements and classical Ottoman motifs.
Interestingly, there is a bronze colonnade in Marjeh Square of Damascus, Syria that was erected by Abdul Hamid II. On top of this colonnade stands a replica statue of the Yıldız Mosque.
After undergoing four years of extensive restoration work, the Yıldız Hamidiye Mosque was reopened by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on August 4, 2017. This restoration project cost a significant 27 million Turkish liras ($7.6 million).
However, the history of this mosque is not only one of grandeur. On July 21, 1905, an assassination attempt was made on Abdul Hamid II. Members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation placed a horse carriage bomb in front of the mosque. This event, known as the Yıldız assassination attempt, resulted in the death of 26 individuals and left 58 others wounded. The attempt was in response to the pogroms and massacres against Armenians and other minorities carried out by Abdul Hamid II's government.
As you see here, this mosque has witnessed significant historical events and has now been restored to its former glory. The Yıldız Hamidiye Mosque stands as a testament to the rich Ottoman architecture and the turbulent history of this region.
