Mosque of the
Holy Mantle.

The Hirka - I serif Camii mosque plays a significant role in the spiritual history of the city of istanbul.

Built in 1851 by Sultan Abdülmecid, this Mosque was built to be home of the famous Holy Jacket and to offer worshippers access to the sacred artefact. The Hirka – i Serif was a present of the Prophet Mohammed to the Saint Üveys el Karani. After his decease, the Holy Jacket was inherited by his brother and the Üvevs Familv has maintained the artefact ever since.

In the early 17th century Sükrullah Uvevs – the head of the family – took the Holy Jacket to Istanbul to display it in a small room offering public access. Only in 1852 the Hirka – i Serif was mounted in its own space inside the Mosque built especially for this purpose. Investigations made in the course of the recent third restoration of the textile artefact determined its age to be 1400 years, created in a special rare weaving method. The family and founders of a special foundation for the Hirka – i Serif take care of its preservation for generations to come.

Today, the delicate textile is presented inside a display case designed by architect M. Hilmi Senalp in Istanbul and manufactured by GLASBAU HAHN in Frankfurt. Numerous visitors enjoy the presentation each year during the holy period of Ramadan.