The Suleymaniye crowns one of the seven hills dominating the Golden Horn and provides a magnificent landmark for the entire city. It was commissioned by the greatest, richest and most powerful of the Ottoman sultans, Suleyman the Magnificent (r 1520–66), and was the fourth imperial mosque built in Istanbul.
History
The Suleymaniye Mosque was built on the order of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent and constructed by the great Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan. The construction work began in 1550 and the mosque was finished in 1557.
Suleymaniye Mosque is modeled in part on the style of a Byzantine basilica, particularly the Hagia Sophia, which was perhaps a conscious move on the part of the sultan to create a continuity and a symbolic connection with the city’s past.
The Suleymaniye Mosque was ravaged by a fire in 1660 and was restored on the command of sultan Mehmed IV by architect Fossatı. The restoration, however, changed the mosque into a more baroque style, damaging the great work severely.
The mosque was restored to its original glory during the 19th century but during World War I the courtyard was used as a weapons depot and when some of the ammunition ignited, the mosque suffered another fire. Not until 1956 was it restored again. Today, the Suleymaniye Mosque is one of the most popular sights in Istanbul.
Suleymaniye Mosque Floor Plans
What to See
Although it’s not the largest of the Ottoman mosques, the recently restored Süleymaniye is certainly the grandest. The mosque is 59 meters in length and 58 meters in width. The main dome is 53 meters high and has a diameter of 27.25 meters. Inside, the mosque is breathtaking in its size and pleasing in its simplicity.
Apart from the main mosque with the prayer hall (cami) and courtyard (avlu), the mosque complex also includes a caravanserai or seraglio (sarayı; han), a public kitchen (imaret) which served food to the poor, a hospital (darüşşifa), a Qur’an school (medrese) and a bath-house (hamam).
In the garden behind the main mosque there are two mausoleums (türbe) including the Tombs of Sultan Suleyman I, his wife Roxelana (Haseki Hürrem), his daughter Mihrimah, his mother Dilaşub Saliha and his sister Asiye. Suleiman’s tomb features a system of layered domes copied from the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.
The sultans Suleiman II, Ahmed II and Safiye (died in 1777), the daughter of Mustafa II, are also buried here. Just outside the mosque walls to the north is the humble tomb of Sinan, designed by the occupant himself.
Mosque complex of the Suleymaniye, which is outside the walled garden, is particularly elaborate, with the full complement of public services: soup kitchen, hostel, hospital, medrese, hamam etc. Today the soup kitchen, with its charming garden courtyard, houses the Darüzziyafe Restaurant, a lovely place to enjoy a cup of tea. Lale Bahçesi, located in a sunken courtyard next to Darüzziyafe, is a popular hang-out for uni students, who come here to chat, drink çay and indulge in nargilehs. The former medrese now houses a library and a raft of simple eateries serving beans and rice.
Near the southeast wall of the mosque is its cemetery, home to the tombs of Suleyman and Roxelana. The tilework in both is superb.
Beautiful mosque that must be seen.
Not in every mosque in the world you can come if you are not a muslim. But in Istambul you can. And I recommend to visit Suleymaniye because it is not so crowded as Sultanahmet Camii but very majestic.
I have visited the Mosque both, during the day and night and it was great and inspiring trip with many things which I learnt about Turkish people and Muslim religion. Spend some time sitting on the carpet and following how everybody is in the rush 🙂
After visiting the blue mosque, we decided to find this one. It was absolutely lovely, and nowhere near as crowded or noisy as the blue mosque. The building is just beautifully maintained. If you are goung to visit a mosque in Istanbul, make sure to find this one!
So beautiful and comfortable! I was staying with a Muslim host family. I'm not Muslim but I felt so welcomed here! The lighting and carpeting really made the atmosphere that much more amazing.
I didn't look at my map very closely, so I wandered up the hill the mosque is on to find it. It is a steep climb, but the view from the grounds is fantastic. It is a lovely mosque.
It is like other historical mosques, With Sultan süleyman and Hurram Sultan graves, but closed for visitors. On my previous visit they were open but at that time I knew little about them.
This mosque is in my opinion more beautiful on the outside than on the inside but is well worth visiting.
I absolutely loved this mosque. Not as many tourists as Blue Mosque due to its location but such a beautiful mosque. Much bigger than Blue Mosque as well. Definitely worst a visit.
This Ottoman Imperial Mosque commissioned by Sulaiman the Great and executed by the famous architect Sinan is simply majestic! As you enter the large open space of the mosque you cant help but be stunned by the vastness of space and the light flooding the area through the many windows in its large dome.