Suleimaniye Mosque

Suleimaniye Mosque, one of the principal mosques of İstanbul, built (1550-1557) by Sinan for Suleiman the Magnificent. It is the largest building by Sinan and is considered to be his finest. It stands within an openwork wall, on a site overlooking the Golden Horn.

The mosque is preceded by a courtyard that is entered by an imposing portal. The courtyard is surrounded by arcades with columns of porphyry, marble, and granite, topped by 28 domes. It is set with four minarets, one at each corner, and incorporates ten balconies; the minarets are said to signify that Suleiman was the fourth sultan of İstanbul, and the balconies to refer to his position as tenth Ottoman monarch. The mosque itself, based partly on the design of Hagia Sophia, is almost square in plan, and surmounted by a dome supported by columns, ribbed arches, and pendentives. Semi-domes flank the dome on its north and south sides, and arches on its east and west sides.

The interior is plain, but its solemnity is relieved by stained-glass windows by Sarhos Ibrahim, Iznik tiles with a leaf and flower motif in red, blue, and turquoise, and calligraphic inscriptions. There are also a marble mihrab and mimbar, and fine woodwork inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl in the doors, window shutters, and pulpit.

Suleiman and his wife Haseki Hürrem (or Roxelana) are buried in a walled garden on the south side of the mosque. Other buildings surrounding the mosque include a caravanserai, schools, and a poor kitchen. The complex was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.