Süleymaniye Mosque: The Suleymaniye is one of the finest and most magnificent imperial mosque complexes in the city. Suleymaniye Mosque crowns the third hill of the old city and adds a great deal to the unrivalled beauty of the city's skyline.
Suleyman was the tenth sultan of the Ottoman dynasty. After thirty years of rule, Suleyman The Magnificent decided to have a mosque built and Sinan, the greatest of Ottoman architects, was commissioned.
The construction of the Suleymaniye began in 1550 and the mosque was completed in 1557.The generous sultan gave the honor of opening the Suleymaniye to his architect Sinan, the creator of the finest mosque in Istanbul.
The mosque stands in the center of the courtyard surrounded on three sides by a wall with grilled windows.
Suleymaniye suprises visitors with its solid architecture and modest decorations with the exception of magnificent stainglass windows, made by master Ibrahim. Fine 16th century Iznik tiles decorate the mihrap area of the mosque.
The tombs of Suleyman the Magnificent and his wife Roxalena are in the cemetery of the mosque.
All these parts of the Suleymaniye mosque are surrounded by a wall with a number of grated windows. |
