Joshua Hill; MOSQUE and TOMB
Yuşa Tepe is the closest and highest hill of the Bosphorus, which is one of the most popular places to visit near Anadolu Kavağı. Visiting hill, which is observed to be visited more by women in modern clothes, also impresses with its magnificent panorama dominating the Bosphorus and the Black Sea from the same angle. The free large parking lot is filled with luxury vehicles on the Yuşa Hill, which attracts more visitors than ever during the months of Ramadan, on the eve of the lamps, on holidays and on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The visitors pray by visiting the Mausoleum of Prophet Joshua and the Mosque dated 1755. The very tall tomb surrounded by iron bars in the garden next to the mosque attracts the attention of visitors. The relevant people state that the place of the tomb, which was in ruins in the previous years, was built 17 meters long due to the fact that the exact location is not known, and they explain that the belief that the person lying here is too tall is wrong. Among those who make various wishes and pray, those who get their wishes come back and fulfill their offer this time, although they do not comply with the basic principles of Islam, they distribute sugar and Turkish delight to other visitors !! In the garden of the mosque, which draws attention with its cleanliness and landscaping, there is a tomb inscription, an ornate fringed fountain with a tap on all four sides, a culture house, sitting units, 27 graveyards, while there are various shops at the entrance of Yuşa Hill, religious books on the benches, prayer beads, headscarves. There are also those who sell pancakes, meatballs, fish and bread.! (Islam does not find it appropriate to turn mosques into shopping and cemeteries as places of festival and celebration.)
The altar of Chalkedonians made in the name of Daphne has been accepted as a sacred place since the beginning of history, and various civilizations built temples and temples here according to their own religions. One of these is known as the Zeus altar in ancient times. In the Byzantine Period. In the 6th century, during the reign of the Emperor Justinian I, this altar was converted into a church. During the Ottoman Period, a mosque was built on this hill by the Grand Vizier Yirmisekiz Çelebizade Mehmet Sait Pasha (D. 1761) in 1169 (1755).
