EZİNE BRECCIA

Quarry Site and Classification

Ezine Breccia, also known as Breccia Pavonazza di Ezine, is a distinctive marble renowned for its striking purple and white coloration. This metamorphic stone, which was quarried in Çanakkale province from ancient times through the Ottoman era, is classified as ‘Brecciated Marble.’

Usage in the Ottoman Period

Blocks produced in the region have been found in the ancient harbor of Alexandria Troas (present-day Dalyan), indicating that stone shipments were likely carried out from this port. Ezine Breccia was used for the interior wall claddings of the building known today as Kalenderhane Mosque, which is a Byzantine monument.

During the Ottoman period, the eminent architect Mimar Sinan used this marble for the door arches and floor border tiles in the Cloistered Courtyard of Süleymaniye Mosque. In construction records, this marble is referred to as ‘mermer-i sürh-i alaca ’ (red mottled marble). Additionally, a decree was issued to the qadi of Eyne (present-day Ezine) instructing the transportation of stones to be used in this imperial mosque.