Sarnıçköy Village: Mosque and Local History

For travelers who want to understand the architecture and local history, two distinct mosques in Sarnıç and a redesigned village square take center stage. Sarnıç is one of the former rural settlements of Bornova. Its building history connects the Mescid-i-Aksa Mosque with the former village mosque and the square on the site where it once stood.

The Mescid-i-Aksa Mosque and its design

The Mescid-i-Aksa Mosque in Sarnıç was designed under the influence of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. With its distinctive silhouette, it is considered a modern example of civic architecture. Two aspects therefore come together in its architectural context: the stated influence on the design and the building’s classification as modern. Comparing it with the former village mosque adds the older building’s traditional masonry construction to the architectural picture.

From the former village mosque to the village square

The former Sarnıç village mosque was built in 1967 using traditional masonry construction. Because ground movement and the risk of landslides had been identified, it was classified as a serious safety hazard; this led to the replacement project. The municipal report records the completion and opening of the Mescid-i-Aksa Mosque in the Sarnıç neighborhood at the time, following requests from residents. Thus, the building history includes both the older building’s traditional masonry construction and the replacement project and its opening following residents’ requests.

The site of the former mosque was redesigned as a village square with a bust of Atatürk and a flagpole. With these features, the square is considered a public place with symbolic significance. The change therefore affected more than the mosque itself: the former site also took on a new use as a village square. To understand the local history, the replacement building and the redesign of the old mosque site are two distinct but interconnected aspects.

Local history and nature in the wider travel area

Çiçekli Nature Park is also located in the wider travel area of Bornova. It includes maquis shrubland communities and black pine forests. Among the animals that live there are wild boar, jackals, and foxes; birds of prey such as goshawks, short-toed snake eagles, and sparrowhawks are also observed. This is a landscape-related topic in the broader Bornova context, while Sarnıç’s building history and former village square define its local character. The nature information distinguishes between vegetation and wildlife: maquis shrubland communities and black pine forests represent two described forms of vegetation, while the animal examples range from mammals to birds of prey. Thus, the nature section covers both habitats and various animal groups in the Bornova area.

When planning your trip, you can prioritize these highlights according to your interests: the mosques and transformation of the village square as topics in local history, or the forest communities and wildlife of the nature park as a nature-focused topic in the wider area. This keeps Sarnıç’s specific history distinct from the information about nature in Bornova.

Discover more destinations: Belevi, Seferihisar, Şirince, Kemalpasa, Yılanlı Village, Torbalı, Çakmaklı, Doganbey

For the wider travel overview: Izmir.