BOURGOS
Former Ottoman district where the Turkish, Greek and Jewish communities evolved.
This is the former Ottoman quarter, where the Turkish, Greek and Jewish communities evolved over the centuries. The Ottoman power established its major religious centers here, as well as the city's commercial activities. Some churches were transformed into mosques, and traditional Ottoman architecture developed everywhere. You'll notice the covered balconies and wooden structures along Sokratous Street, typical of the Ottoman period: the sachnisia . Over the years, the Greek population was pushed to the outskirts of the Ottoman town, eventually relocating outside the ramparts to the present-day New Town.
At the top of rue Sokratous, rue du Marché, you'll notice the following buildings:
The Mosque of Soliman was erected in 1523, in honor of Soliman the Magnificent, whose troops defeated the Knights and conquered Rhodes in 1522. The current building, easily identifiable with its pink walls, dates from the 19th century. Today, the mosque is no longer open for prayer, but is used for special occasions and celebrations by the Dodecanese Turkish community. It is not open to visitors.
The Muslim library HafizAhmed Agha (open Monday to Saturday, 9.30 a.m. to 3 p.m.), built in 1794, houses rare manuscripts and illuminated Korans, the oldest of which dates back to 1540. The account of the 1522 siege of Rhodes is also kept here. This is one of the jewels of the Ottoman period in Rhodes, a center of knowledge and science.
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