Süleymaniye Mosque
📚What You Will Learn
- Sinan's genius in dome design and light play.
- Süleyman's legacy tying empire, faith, and architecture.
- Complex's role as social welfare hub in Ottoman society.
- Restoration history through fires, quakes, and wars.
📝Summary
ℹ️Quick Facts
- Built 1550-1557 by Mimar Sinan for Süleyman the Magnificent.
- Main dome: 27m diameter, 53m high; complex spans 59m x 58m.
- Four minarets mark it as a 'selâtin' sultan-built mosque; houses tombs of Süleyman and Hurrem Sultan.
💡Key Takeaways
- Sinan's innovations like dissimulated buttresses create harmonious proportions rivaling Hagia Sophia.
- Part of a vast külliye with madrasas, hospitals, and shops funding charity.
- Survived multiple disasters, fully restored by 1956 with ongoing work.
In 1550, Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent commissioned the mosque on Istanbul's Third Hill, demolishing the old Eski Saray palace. Architect Mimar Sinan, imperial master builder, led 3,500 workers over seven years, inaugurating it in 1557 though parts finished later.
Sinan drew from Hagia Sophia's influence but refined it with a pyramid-like profile of domes and minarets for perfect harmony. The four minarets signify sultan sponsorship.
The 27m-diameter double-shelled dome soars 53m, lit by 38 windows with stained glass, creating a light-bathed prayer hall. Buttresses hide in walls, allowing vast open space unlike bulkier predecessors.
Iznik tiles with vibrant tomato-red glaze adorn the mihrab and walls; alternating dome sizes add rhythmic beauty. Porticos and galleries feature innovative ablution taps under eaves.
Galleries and side entrances maximize corner spaces, enhancing flow and aesthetics.
Süleymaniye is a külliye: courtyard mosque plus madrasas, hospital, kitchen, shops, all funding the poor. Stepped madrasas adapt to the hilly terrain toward Golden Horn.
Tombs hold Süleyman (d.1566), Hurrem Sultan (d.1558), and kin, with intricate tiles. Sinan and family lived onsite during build.
Fires in 1660 and WWI, plus 1766 earthquake damaged it; Baroque alterations reversed in 19th century, full restore by 1956, more 2007-2010.
Today, it thrives as Istanbul's largest imperial mosque, drawing worshippers and tourists for its serene views and history. Sinan's crowning work symbolizes Ottoman peak.
Overlooking Golden Horn, it's ideal for photos at sunset; dress modestly, remove shoes.
Explore tombs, courtyards; avoid prayer times for tours. A peaceful escape amid Istanbul's bustle.
⚠️Things to Note
- Located overlooking Golden Horn on old palace site.
- Used Iznik tiles with rare tomato-red glaze first time here.
- Daily prayers peak on Fridays; open to visitors outside worship times.