In the centre of the castle was an old Christian church, Mohammed II. having conquered the town in the year 865, turned the mihráb from the east towards the Kiblah. Its mihráb and minber are of ancient workmanship, and on the east side is an oratory (mahfil) of most elegant carving. The wood is cypress, nut, and box; it is always closed, and reserved entirely for the Emperor’s use. There are besides three other mahfils or oratories supported by pillars in this mosque, where people are also allowed to pray when there is a great crowd. It has two gates, an elegant mináreh, and cells for students in the courtyard outside; it is covered with lead. In the west suburb are also four mosques, and two in the eastern; the mosque of the tower castle is a beautiful structure with a mináreh much ornamented. The mosque of Khatúnieh was built by the mother of Selím I. who was born here, it is extremely well endowed, the market called Púlta-bazárí belongs to its foundation, with many cultivated villages. The cupola is illuminated by candles every night, its elegant mináreh pierces the sky. The gate and walls of this mosque are built of black polished stone, and white marble, in alternate rows; it was built in the year 920. The mosque of Súleimán Beg on the west of the mosque of Khatúnieh, but at a mile distance from it on the place of Kawák, has one mináreh covered with lead. The mosque of Ayá Sofiyáh is on the seashore on the west side, it was built in the time of the Infidels. Kúrd Alí-beg took it out of the hands of the Christians, in the year 951 (1573), and adorned it with a fine minber and mahfil; it is beautified with many marble and granite columns, which cannot be described with sufficient praise. The mihráb and minber are in the ancient style, and it is surrounded by vineyards and plantations of olives. The mosque of Wárdogdi-Beg stands half a mile distance south of the mosque of Khatúnieh in the quarter of Tekfúr-seraï, it was raised from a mesjíd into a mosque by Torghúd-beg in 985 (1577). It has a well proportioned gate and mináreh. The new mosque was formerly a church, and stands in a lofty situation. The mosque of Iskender Páshá, known by the name of Káfir-Meidání, (the Infidel’s place) has its cupola entirely covered with lead, with a well proportioned mináreh. _Description of the Scientific Colleges, Baths, Market-places, &c._