Suleymaniye Mosque: An architectural wonder of the Ottoman empire
The mosque is a fusion of eastern and western architectural elements.
(Web Desk) - One of the most famous mosques of Istanbul, the Suleymaniye Mosque, is an important cultural remnant of the Ottoman Empire. It is Istanbul s second biggest mosque and is situated on the third of the seven hills of the city.
The Suleymaniye Mosque was built on the orders of Sultan Suleyman (Suleyman the Magnificent). If one desires to understand why Sultan Suleyman was referred to as the magnificent, one need only observe the architectural wonder that is this mosque.
The Sultan acquired the services of famed architectural genius of the Ottoman empire, Mimar Sinan to construct this architectural masterpiece. Construction of the mosque was started in 1550 and the mosque was completed in 1557.
The mosque features a blend of cultural and architectural elements of both the historical Islamic civilization and the Byzantine empire. The mosque has tall and thin minarets with large domes supported by semi-domes similar to the architectural style of the famous Byzantine church Hagia Sophia. The mosque features four minarets and 28 domes in total. The main dome of the mosque is 53 metres high.
The mosque has a huge courtyard on its west side. The courtyard has four minarets at its corners and is surrounded by marble and granite columns in a style that is similar to those of old Greek temples and Roman buildings.
The Suleymaniye mosque features a striking resemblance to the Hagia Sophia, initially built as a church, later converted to a mosque, Aya Sophia. The Hagia Sophia was finally converted into a museum in 1935.
The mosque has hundreds of windows with beautiful and vibrant artwork. The minbar and mihrab of the mosque are made from white marble, with artwork designed in ivory and mother of pearl.
The mosque covers a humongous 60000 square metres. The original mosque featured a hospital, primary school, public baths, a specialized hadith school, madrassa, medical school and a public kitchen. The public kitchen now serves as a restaurant while the hospital is now a printing factory owned by the Turkish military. The mosque underwent its last renovation and expansion in 1956.
This majestic mosque is breathtakingly impressive and is one of the most attractive spots for tourists in Istanbul. It is particularly popular among western tourists due to its numerous architectural influences from western culture.
