Kesik Minare (Truncated Minaret) is located near the ruins of the mosque and the Greek temple of St Peter. Back in the nineteenth century, the tower was severely damaged, but despite this, it is noteworthy. The minaret is of architectural value and embodies a combination of different styles, which is particularly noticeable due to the capitals. The structure is decorated with reliefs on the edges of doors and windows and marble columns, while a vaulted gate leads inside the minaret.
The history of the minaret dates back to ancient times. As studies of the elements of the mosque's construction have shown, its past stretches back to the 2nd century AD. At that time, an ancient temple was located on this place. And in the 5th century the Byzantines made a church of the Virgin Mary out of it. According to legend, a very valuable icon written by St Luke was kept there. And the patterned stone carvings served as the icon's frame. During the Arab invasions of the seventh century, the church suffered considerable damage, but in the tenth century it was restored and slightly enlarged.
In the thirteenth century, when the Seljuk tribes began to dominate the land, a minaret was added to the church, and the church itself became a mosque. In 1361 the Cypriot king Peter I recaptures Antalya from the Seljuks, now the mosque again becomes a Christian church. From 1361 to 1373 the city is occupied by the Cypriot Knights Hospitallers of the Order of St John of Jerusalem and the church is used as a Christian Catholic church. It was then converted again into a church of Orthodox Byzantine Christians.
In the fifteenth century, Shehzade Korkut, the appointed ruler of Antalya by Sultan Bayyazid II, again transforms the church into a mosque and names it Korkut Mosque (Korkut Jami). During the earthquake of 1480, described by Leonardo da Vinci, it was completely destroyed. In the nineteenth century, due to a lightning strike, the mosque was engulfed in fire. Only the minaret remains, which is missing its top after the catastrophe.
There is no definite answer to the question of why the minaret became splintered. Some historians claim that it is the consequences of a fire, which caused the mosque itself to collapse, while others say that the top of the structure was cut into the minaret by lightning. Currently, the minaret stands without a top, and the ancient building is a ruin. Therefore, the minaret is called the "Truncated Minaret", or Kesik Minaret.
Nowadays, the building with numerous damages is not used. However, it is shown to travellers as an interesting ruin, where one can see a rare combination of building elements from the ancient Byzantine and Seljuk periods. Be that as it may, Antalya now has its own "broken" landmark. The truncated minaret is regularly restored, but it is never completely repaired - the broken top of the minaret has already managed to become a kind of symbol of Antalya.
