The central dome and smaller domes of the Süleymaniye Mosque seen from the courtyard, with stone arcades in the foreground.

Süleymaniye Mosque

A design by Mimar Sinan for Suleiman the Magnificent, inaugurated in 1557 on top of a hill, with the sultan's tomb and an open view of the Golden Horn.

  • Religion and art
  • Suggested time:1 h
  • Area:Third Hill, Fatih

About Süleymaniye Mosque

Away from Sultanahmet Square, the Süleymaniye occupies the Third Hill and was designed by Mimar Sinan, the imperial architect, for Suleiman the Magnificent. The inscription marks the foundation in 1550 and the opening in 1557, and the central dome reaches about 53 meters (175 feet).

The mosque was the center of a complex with schools, a public kitchen, a hospital, baths and shops. In the walled cemetery lie the mausoleums of Suleiman and of Hürrem, his wife; Sinan's tomb is just outside the walls, to the north. From the terrace, the Golden Horn makes up for the climb.

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Image credit

  • The Süleymaniye from the courtyard: Sinan's work for Suleiman, with a cascade of domes and arcades that gives the complex its scale.Photo: fotos1992 · Licença Pixabay · original

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