Suleymaniye Gallery
Suleymaniye Mosque
Suleymaniye Mosque in Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey
Suleymaniye Mosque is located in the historic district of Fatih on Istanbul's Third Hill, offering views of the Golden Horn. The complex was built between 1550 and 1557 to the design of architect Mimar Sinan on the order of Sultan Suleiman I and is considered one of the principal examples of classical Ottoman architecture.
The central dome rests on semi-domes and powerful supporting structures, and the numerous windows fill the spacious hall with soft light. The inner courtyard, with its marble fountain for ablutions, is surrounded by arcades on marble and granite columns. The four minarets have ten balconies, which is traditionally linked to the sultan's ordinal number in the dynasty and the number of rulers after the conquest of the city.
Suleymaniye was built as a kulliye - a large religious and charitable ensemble with a madrasa, library, imaret, hamam, hospital, and caravanserai. Some of the historic buildings have survived and are used for cultural, administrative, and educational purposes. In the cemetery among the cypresses are the mausoleums of Sultan Suleiman I and his wife Hurrem Sultan, and along the outer wall stands the tomb of Mimar Sinan.
The mosque is active. Entry is free outside times of congregational prayers; modest clothing is required, head coverings for women, and shoes must be removed at the entrance to the prayer hall.
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Suleymaniye Mosque is located in the historic district of Fatih on Istanbul's Third Hill, offering views of the Golden Horn. The complex was built between 1550 and 1557 to the design of architect Mimar Sinan on the order of Sultan Suleiman I and is considered one of the principal examples of classical Ottoman architecture.
The central dome rests on semi-domes and powerful supporting structures, and the numerous windows fill the spacious hall with soft light. The inner courtyard, with its marble fountain for ablutions, is surrounded by arcades on marble and granite columns. The four minarets have ten balconies, which is traditionally linked to the sultan's ordinal number in the dynasty and the number of rulers after the conquest of the city.
Suleymaniye was built as a kulliye - a large religious and charitable ensemble with a madrasa, library, imaret, hamam, hospital, and caravanserai. Some of the historic buildings have survived and are used for cultural, administrative, and educational purposes. In the cemetery among the cypresses are the mausoleums of Sultan Suleiman I and his wife Hurrem Sultan, and along the outer wall stands the tomb of Mimar Sinan.
The mosque is active. Entry is free outside times of congregational prayers; modest clothing is required, head coverings for women, and shoes must be removed at the entrance to the prayer hall.
The complex combines a place of worship and public services with panoramas over the Golden Horn.
Sinan's domed ensemble on Fatih's Third Hill
Inside, visitors will see a spacious prayer hall lit by several tiers of windows, with meticulous stonework and calligraphic panels. Sinan's engineering solutions provide good acoustics and ventilation, and in the past soot from the lamps was collected in a special room and used to make ink for copyists.
In the courtyard you can examine the marble sadirvan for ablutions and the arcades on multicolored columns. From the terraces and gardens around the complex there are panoramas of the Golden Horn, Galata, and Beyoglu, suitable for a leisurely walk and for photography.
Within the cemetery are the turbes of Sultan Suleiman I and Hurrem Sultan, designed in the Ottoman tradition. Nearby, by the outer wall of the complex, is the modest tomb of Mimar Sinan. These sites can be viewed from the outside, while observing silence and the rules of conduct on the grounds of the sanctuary.
Nearby, the Egyptian Bazaar in Eminonu, the Grand Bazaar, the Rustem Pasha Mosque, and the Valens Aqueduct are convenient to visit. How to get there: take tram T1 to the Eminonu or Beyazit - Kapalicarsi stops, then walk uphill for 10-15 minutes; it is best to come outside prayer times, especially at midday on Fridays.
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