Himmet Baba Mosque and Tomb Restoration, Strengthening and Conservation Project
Restoration, strengthening, conservation, and landscaping work continues at the Elbistan Himmet Baba Mosque and Tomb, which suffered severe damage in the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, taking into account both the safety of the load-bearing system and its original architectural and art historical character.
The building, which suffered severe damage in the Kahramanmaraş earthquake, was documented with official damage assessment reports and scientific committee decisions.
Himmet Baba Mosque and Tomb suffered significant damage to its structural system, dome, and minaret in the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş. The extent of the damage was officially documented in damage assessment reports; and the scope of repair, strengthening, and conservation was determined in accordance with the decisions of a scientific committee.
The safety of the load-bearing system was ensured through precise hand excavation and low-pressure ground injection that would not damage the registered historical structure.
To fill structural voids and cracks in the foundation and wall structure, a hydraulic lime-based injection mortar, compatible with the original mortar analysis, was injected into the structure using packers at a low pressure of 0.5-1.5 bar. In the ground injection, a grid was created according to the coordinates specified in the approved project; resin-filled injection holes were drilled up to a depth of 8 meters in a way that would not damage the historical foundations and stratigraphic layers, and displacement control in the structure was performed throughout the application with crack gauges and distomats.
The original stone wall texture was strengthened through raking, repointing, and reinforcement pointing work.
The substandard plaster, hydraulic lime-based mortar, and recent additions on the wall surface were removed layer by layer using micro-chisels and precision mechanical scraping tools, without damaging the original stone texture. Existing joints that had lost their structural integrity were removed, and the joint channels were completely filled with fluid hydraulic lime-based (NHL) strengthening mortar, suitable for the original mortar mechanics of the structure, using low-pressure pumps; the structural integrity of the walls was increased by applying a strengthening mesh.
The mausoleum's original wooden door was preserved through cleaning, biological conservation, and wood restoration stages.
Substandard, late-season paint layers on the surface of the historic wooden door were removed using gel removers and mechanical scraping methods without damaging the original texture. Dimensional losses and cracks in the wood, which was consolidated with biocide solutions against fungal and insect damage, were repaired with a paste made from a mixture of original wood dust and natural resin. Decayed wooden parts that had lost their load-bearing capacity were renewed with dried timbers of the same tree species using traditional interlocking techniques.
The minaret was rebuilt using blocks sourced from a quarry with the same mineralogical composition as the original stone.
Petrographic and laboratory analyses of the minaret's original stones were conducted, identifying an active quarry with the same mineralogical structure and color; raw block samples were submitted to the administrative technical committee and the Regional Board for the Protection of Cultural Heritage for approval. The curvilinear diameter, height, and depth of each row of stones were calculated with millimeter precision according to the survey projects; the stones, cut with templates, were subjected to fine craftsmanship using traditional hand tools, and the interlocking joints were secured (leading) by pouring molten pure lead into them on-site.
New lead sheet cladding, in keeping with the original details, was applied to the dome and vault covering.
The thickness of the existing lead sheets on the roof of the structure was determined by micrometric measurements, and the wear and perforation conditions were recorded on damage maps. A new lead sheet detail project was then submitted to the administrative control for approval. The old, worn-out lead sheets were removed, the underlying load-bearing wooden surface was inspected, and the rotten pine cladding boards were replaced. A breathable waterproofing membrane was laid, and pure lead sheets were cut according to templates and mounted using the interlocking method (without the use of lead nails).
Construction continues with garden wall, drainage, interior plastering and dome protection works.
As part of the landscaping work, garden walls and drainage lines are being constructed, fine plastering work is being completed inside the mausoleum, and work continues under the protective steel scaffolding on the dome. The current photographs below reflect the latest state of the construction site.
The implementation is being carried out under the supervision of an official control team and a scientific committee.
Contractor
Taksim Yapı Mimarlık İnşaat Restorasyon Turizm Sanayi ve Ticaret Ltd. Şti.
Control Team
Çiğdem Yeşilyurt (Architect), Süleyman Enez (Civil Engineer)
Scientific Committee
Prof. Dr. Kemal Kutgün Eyüpgiller, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Selim Ökten, Prof. Dr. Bekir Eskici, Erdoğan Tunç, Yahya Dilsizoğlu
The historic mosque and mausoleum, severely damaged in the earthquake, are being rebuilt while preserving their structural integrity and original architectural identity.
In the structure, where the structural integrity of the building is ensured through ground injection, reinforcement joints, and minaret stonework, the conservation of wooden doors, lead covering, and interior plastering are largely complete. The work is being carried out in accordance with the approved restoration project and the decisions of the scientific committee.