The central dome is 43 m in height and is 33.4 m in diameter. 260 windows surround the mosque. Due to its beautiful blue, green and white tilings it has been named the “Blue Mosque” by Europeans. The inscriptions were made by Seyyid Kasım Gubari.

Photo by Niyazi Uğur Genca

One of the most notable features of the Blue Mosque is visible from far away: its six minarets. This is very unique, as most mosques have four, two or just one minaret. According to one account, the Sultan directed his architect to make gold (altin) minarets, which was misunderstood as six (alti) minarets.

Whatever the origins of the unique feature, the six minarets caused quite a scandal, as the Haram Mosque in Mecca (the holiest in the world) also had six minarets. In the end, the problem was solved by adding a seventh minaret to Mecca’s mosque.

The other striking feature of the exterior is the beautifully-arranged cascade of domes that seem to spill down from the great central dome. The arcades running beneath each dome add further visual rhythm. None of the exterior is blue – the name “Blue Mosque” comes from the blue tiles inside.

Photo by Niyazi Uğur Genca

The main, west entrance is beautifully decorated and very much worth a look. However, to preserve the mosque’s sanctity, non-worshippers are required to use the north entrance, off the Hippodrome. Hanging from this gate are symbolic chains that encourage everyone, even the sultan on horseback, to bow his or her head upon entering.

The interior’s high ceiling is lined with about 20,000 blue tiles that give the mosque its popular name. Fine examples of 16th-century Iznik design, the tiles feature flowers, trees and abstract patterns. The overall effect is one of the most beautiful sights in Istanbul.

On summer evenings at 9pm, there is a historical narrative and a light show at the Blue Mosque.

Laleli Mosque was built by Sultan Mustafa III from 1760–1763 by Ottoman imperial architect Mehmet Tahir Ağa. The Mosque features both classical and  baroque architectural styles. It was destroyed during the earthquake of 1765 and was refurbished in 1782.

The complex’s mosque contains an inner court encircled by 18 domes. There is a beautiful fountain located in the inner court which has three entrances facing three different directions. The dome of the mosque, built on a square plan, was placed on a pulley which has 24 window gaps was supported by six half-domes. The interior of the prayer hall is completely lit by 105 windows, including the twenty-four windows in the dome. The mosque has two minarets, each has a sherefe (single balcony) with extraordinary stone caps. After the road construction works of 1957 and 1958, the outer courtyard lost its original characteristics and the entrance door was set back from the wall, and the shops below the courtyard have taken their present form.

Photo by Niyazi Uğur Genca

If, among all the masterpieces which are imbued with the genius of Master Sinan Master and of his pupils, there is one that fills more perfectly than the others these fundamental conditions of Ottoman architecture, it is undoubtedly the Süleymaniye. Situated at the top of a hill dominating the Kantarcılar district between the Ministry of Wlar and the Office of the Sheikhulislam, the Süleymaniye soars majestically towards the sky with nothing to hinder its ascent. From the vast platform of its enclosure, one captures at a single glance Europe and Asia, the two seas that bathe Istanbul, and the smiling Princes Isles. Further still, in the vaporous transparency of the horizon, the giant Bithynian Olympus takes shape against a pure sky, standing like an ever present witness to the memory of the cradle of ancient Ottoman power. Confronted by such a tableau, the spirit can conceive only noble ideas. Founded in year 964 of the Hegira (1556 of the Christian era) by Sultan Süleyman the Lawgiver, for whom history has also decreed the names of “the Great” and “the Magnificent’; the Süleymaniye is preceded by an interior court or square flanked by four minarets. By this number, according to tradition, the founder wanted to indicate that he was the  fourth  Ottoman  sovereign  since  the  aonquest  of Constantinople.  In the same way, the total number of the bal conies of its minarets indicates that he was the tenth sultan since Osman Ghazi, the glorious root of his line.

Photo by Niyazi Uğur Genca

The two minarets located at the two sides of the facade have two balconies each, and the two other two, which are at the other end of the square on each side öf the porch, have three balconies each. The total number, for the four minarets, yields ten balconies, all with corbelling in stalactites. Three beautiful doors whose open- ings are formed of flattened curues are each surmounted by an ogee arch and give access through the frontage and the two other sides of the courtyard. A cloister of twenty four arcades runs around and is supported by an equal number of columns. The pair closest to the door in the facade are of porphyry;  of the remainder, twelve columns of pink granite alternate with ten of white marble. All are of the crystallized order. Their capitals are of white marble, and the edges of their stalactites heavily gilded.

Previously, there was a little mosque built by Mahmut Ağa, the son-in law of the Vizier Ibrahim Paşa, on the former site of the mosque. The little mosque built in 1721 but was destroyed during the revolt of Patrona

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Halil in 1730. The current mosque, which was erected in its place, was greatly damaged during the earthquake of 1894, and the spire of the minaret needed to be rearranged. When it was understood that the building was in danger of collapsing in 1960, ground reinforcement efforts were carried out. After the conflagration in 1984, it was completely restored and reattained its previous magnificence.

It is composed of a Harim (sanctum sanctorum) and a Hünkar Kasrı (sultan’s summer palace). The Harim section is composed of a square-shaped main chamber with an edge length of 12.25m, and the middle chamber which passses through the main chamber. The ceiling of the Harim section consists of a dome construction covered with pink mosaics and the dome was placed on the main wall. The mosque has two minarets with a single sherefe (minaret balcony) each, the niche is made of mosaic and white marble, and the pulpit is a marble craftsmanship covered with porphyry. The two-storey house, with its elliptical stairs at the northern entrance, is called Hunkar Kasrı.
The Ortakoy Mosque, built in the 19th century, has reached our times as the main component onlooking the Bosphorus.

It contained a mosque, a school for children, a fountain, a medresse consisting of sixteen rooms, a guesthouse of eight rooms, a stable, a larder, a store house and a caravanserai. It now consists of five sections: mosque, madrasah (theological school attached to a mosque), the tomb of Sinaneddin Yusuf Paşa and the tomb of İbrahim Ethem Paşa.

Mosque

The diameter of the dome of the mosque is 10 m. There are two huge minarets having one balcony (sherefe) each. The decorative niche (mihrab) and the marble pulpit (mimber) reflect the formats of the Classical Ottoman Architecture. It is one of the few premier structures preserving the traces of the past on the Anatolian side of Istanbul. While the structure offers a distinct aesthetic view with a porch that covers the last prayer section, there is a twenty-cornered fountain located on the seaward side of the mosque.

Other Structures

The other sections of the mosque could not be reached until today. The Madrasah (religious school) is composed of 16 rooms that is being used as a health clinic today, the tomb of the two sons of Mihrimah Sultan, the tomb of the Osman Aga, son of Rustem Pasa-Grand (Grand Viziers of the Ottoman Empire), and the tomb of Sinan Pasa,  Admirals of the Navy  (Kaptan-ı Derya) are the structures that have stood until today. The other building in the complex is a Quranic primary school (Sıbyan Mektebi), which consisted of a domed porch and classroom. The tabhane (hostel) disappeared during the fire in 1772 and the inn and kitchen have also been completely cleared away.

The mosque was built using cut stones during the period that Ahmed Nureddin Efendi was one of the cheif architects, but it is unknown as to who the architect was. The dome of the mosque measures 14.60m in diameter, has five window series, and is supported with four half-domes. It is not difficult to say that the mosque, whose mihrab and pulpit are made of porphyry, is a masterpiece of marble workmanship and carpentry.

Its construction was continued from 1562 to1565 and it had a a large amount of damage during an earthquake in 1719. The complex is composed of a large mosque, madrasah (theological school attached to a mosque), Ottoman elementary-primary school (Sıbyan Mektebi), tomb, bath and bazaar.

Mosque

The diameter of the dome of the mosque is 20 meters, and the height is 35 meters. It has an area of approximately 1000 square meters in the middle of the mosque. It has a rectangular-shaped marble pulpit (minber), and the stained glass of the windows strengthen the aesthetic appeal of the mosque. It has only one minaret with a single sherefe (minaret balcony), and that falls outside of the profile of the Sultan Mosques which were built by the architect Sinan. In 1719, the upper part of the minaret collapsed during an earthquake and was rebuilt. After discovering the extnet of the destruction of the domes in this earthquake, it is doubtful that central dome with many windows was rebuilt in a way of consistent with its original character.

Other Buildings

A building with covered by three domes in the complex is called the Ottoman elementary-primary school (Sıbyan Mektebi). The building just next to it is the tomb of Güzel Ahmet Paşa. In the courtyard of the complex there is a marble fountain.  The inner courtyard consists of 19 rooms and two eyvans, a vaulted room with one side open to a courtyard. There are twin baths (çifte hamam) that were active until the first quarter of the 1900s.

In the complex there was a madrasah and bazaar that do not exist today. Some of the 63 shops in the bazaar are located near the northern wall of the courtyard.

Photo by Niyazi Uğur Genca

The historical mosque was located on an uphill road that the Uzun Çarşı connected to the seaside in the Eminonu district. Presently, the location of the mosque is in the middle of a congested area. It was built on the former site of Hacı Halil Mescid with a size of 40 meters by 40 meters square. The ceiling of the mosque contains a central dome, the diameter of which is 15.50 meters and is surrounded by full and half-domes that provide support to the central dome.

Rüstem Paşa Mosque suffered damage in a fire in 1660. After the big earthquake of Istanbul in 1776, both the minaret and the dome of the mosque came to the ground.  It was renovated in the reign of the Mustafa II. (1664 –1703), but, during the renovation, the ruined dome and minaret fell short of the reality of the structure of Sinan the Architect.

As is the case of Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, the inscription is lacking over the entry of the Rüstem Paşa Mosque.  The octagonal fountain of the mosque is placed in a courtyard located on the street. An archway surrounds the high-walled courtyard of the mosque in three directions.

İznik tiles were commonly used in the interior design of the mosque that was situated on the silhouette of the historical peninsula.  They have caused visitors to transform a minor image into a great artwork.

The original mosque was destroyed in an earthquake and the present one was constructed in its place in 1800. On Fridays, holy days for Islam, throngs of the faithful visit the mausoleum. The old trees, flocks of pigeons, the praying believers and the visiting crowds create a mystical and colorful atmosphere around the mosque and the mausoleum. The walls of the mausoleum in the courtyard are covered with tiles from different periods.
Historical sources indicate that in Byzantine times this district was also a holy site where people came to visit the grave of a saint and to pray for rain during times of drought.

The sultans succeeding Mehmet the Conqueror completed their coronation and sword-bearing ceremonies with a visit to the Eyup Sultan Mausoleum.

The vicinity of the mosque and the neighboring hills are occupied by cemeteries. The famous Pierre Loti Cafe is also in this district. The well-known poet and author Loti was enraptured by Istanbul and he came here often to watch the beauties of the Golden Horn of those days. The view from this small cafe and the terrace, particularly during full moon, leaves long-lasting impressions on the visitors.

It is known that during the Byzantine Period, there had previously existed a church named Havariyyun (Byzantine Holy Apostles Church) located on the site of the current complex. The Fatih Complex is a work of the architect Atik Sinan, andit was later built on ruins of the church. In addition, when examining the architectural style of the complex, it is evident that the complex is very different from the Byzantine architectural style and presents an advanced example of the Turkish architectural tradition.

The mosque, the main unit of the complex, was damaged during several different earthquakes occuring in 1509, 1557, and 1754. After each earthquake, the mosque was rebuilt. However, after an earthquake in 1766 caused great damage to the wall and made the central dome collapse, Sultan Mustafa III (1717-1774) ordered that the present mosque to be built by the architect, Mehmed Tahir Ağa During the mosque’s construction, it the architectural characteristics of the ruined mosque were not fully preserved, and the present mosque was erected by blending the architectural character of that period with the Classical style. The mosque had two minarets each with a single sherefe (minaret balcony) until the 19th century, when one minaret balcony was added and the minarets themselves were raised. The enterence of the mosque is located in an arcaded inner courtyard with 22 domes. The central dome of the mosque, measuring a diameter of which is 26m, rests on four elephant legs and is supported by half and full domes creating the ceiling structure. A Baroque style is visible on the ornaments of the mosque.

The madrasahs (religious schools), the most important units in the Fatih complex, were completed in 1470. They offered education in various fields, and most of the famous scholars of the time period taught lessons at these madrasahs.The madrasahs were substantially damaged in an earthquake during 1766. Eight of the original madrasahs continue to stand today. Recently, they have been restored by the Directorate of Religious Endowments in 1955.  Today, they are used for the various purposes.

The original library was located in a separate building which no longer exists today. The present library building was built in 1742, and the remaining collection of the old library was carried to the new library. The existing manuscript collection of the library was also carried to the Süleymaniye Manuscript Library in 1956. Currently, the old architectural fabric of the library is undergoing restoration.

The tombs of the complex include those of Sultan Mehmed II, his wife, Gülbahar Hatun, and Nakşidil Sultan, his mother. Due to the number of earthquakes, they have lost their original shapes. There are many famous individuals buried in the graveyard of the complex. The caravanserai was restored during the 1980s, and new stores, added by the Directorate of Religious Endowments, were rented to new tenants.

Other structures of the complex, which include the tabhane (hostel), Turkish bath and bazaar, were not able to reach our time.