Süleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

Süleymaniye Mosque


The Mosque of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent(1557) is Istanbul's largest and grandest. Designed by the Ottoman Empire's greatest architect,Mimar Sinan, the Süleymaniye dominates the city's Third Hill, just north of Istanbul University, overlooking the Golden Horn (map). It's an easy walk of less than 10 minutes around the university from Beyazıt Square and the Grand Bazaar to the Süleymaniye.
Inside the Süleymaniye is simply breathtaking in its expanse, a near-square 58 meters (63 yards) by 59 meters (64 yards). Süleyman—and his genius architect, Mimar Sinan—attempted to rival the spaciousness of Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia) by hiding the massive buttresses that support the dome, incorporating the buttresses into the walls, and adding rows of porphyry monolith columns beneath the tympanums on either side. Although not as large as Ayasofya, the Süleymaniye exceeds it in feelings of light and openness.

The mosque complex (külliye) includes a hamam, imaret (soup kitchen, now a fine restaurant serving Ottoman cuisine), theological colleges (medrese), a hospital (darüşşifa) and medical school, a primary school, and a caravanserai/hostel for travelers. Some of these, such as the hamam and imaret, are still open to the public.
You'll also want to visit the beautiful, elaborate tombs of Süleyman and his sultana Roxelana (Hürrem Sultan) in the garden behind the mosque (donations accepted). The tomb of Mimar Sinan is outside the complex at the intersection of Mimar Sinan Caddesi, Fetva Yokuşu and Şifahane Sokak.

Comments