Sinan in the City

The first full day back in Istanbul was dedicated to the height of the Ottoman Empire and, in particular, the architecture of Mimar Sinan, the chief architect for Süleyman I and his two successors.  Noted for his ability to build grand structures in a way that minimized mass and kept the interior open, Sinan supervised the construction of five mosques that we visited: Sokollu Mehmet Paşa, Beyezit II, Şehzede, Süleymaniye and Rüstem Paşa.

Each of them shared commonalities, particularly design, scale and layout; however, they differed in decoration, as two were adorned with Iznik tiling while the other three were not.  In each case, the mosque was elevated or built on uneven ground, showing one of the architect’s utilitarian skills: maximizing space.  I was a fan of Sinan’s before the trip and am more so now.  Further, like Bursa, seeing the mosques and tombs of the former sultans helped personalize them.

Sokollu Mehmet Paşa Mosque (peaking from behind a building and tree)

This mosque was built by Sinan and commemorated one of the greatest Grand Viziers to serve the Ottoman Empire in 1571-72.  Beginning his tenure under Selim II, Sokollu Mehmet Paşa served in the position for more than fifteen years. 

His mosque was one of the most inticrately-designed, however, we were not permitted access and had to miss out of the Isnik tiling, grand minbar and a piece of the Kaaba that is set over the mosque’s entrances.  Today, a Qur’anic school utilizes the old medrasa rooms in the complexes exterior.  Class was in session during our visit, and a handful of high school-aged boys were spotted darting across the common area.

Beyazit II Mosque and Şehzede Mosque
The Tomb of Sultan Beyazit II, son of Selim I "The Grim"

The Şehzede Mosque

 Exterior pathways at the Şehzede

Built to commemorate the sons of Mehmet II and Süleyman I, these two mosques were the first of four “grand” mosques that were consistently spectacular achievements in architecture, large in scale but indiscriminately common in decoration.  This interested me as the Bayezit II mosque was not built by Sinan but still appeared so similar to the Sinan mosques.

Süleymaniye Mosque

 A row of Medrasas at the mosque complex; above the classrooms, student dorms were outfitted with fireplaces and chimneys to warm and ventilate during cold winter months

 The Grave of Mimar Sinan, Istanbul's Greatest Architect

One of the grandest mosques in the city, the Süleymaniye was a bit of a disappointment once entered.  On the contrast, the mosque’s exterior complex was the grandest experienced of all mosques, as it consisted of numerous primary, secondary, medical and tertiary schools, a lodge, hotel and a library, to name a few.  Built by Sinan between 1550 and 1557, this mosque was commissioned by the Sultan near the beginning of his sultanate and provided a welfare system which fed over 1,000 of the city’s poor on a daily basis. 

Inside, not much stood out from the other mosques of the era.  Though its size was one of the most notable and interior design adequate, nothing stood out and gave me a lasting impression.  As I write a day later, I’m hard pressed to remember the carpet pattern, trim color or any specifics regarding the mihrab and minbar.  Going back to its exterior, aside from housing the mausoleum of Süleyman and his wife, Roxelana, the architect Sinan’s tomb is outside the complex a few paces at his former home.

Rüstem Paşa Mosque

 Level upon level of Iznik tiles wrapped around the mosque's interior

 One of the dozen or so floral patterns on display at floor level of the mosque

The Rüstem Paşa Mosque, located in the Spice Bazaar, was built in 1561 by Sinan to commemorate the son-in-law of Süleyman I who was also his Grand Vizier.  A corrupt man (or scoundrel, according to Dr. Ross), the Grand Vizier covered most of the mosque’s interior with Iznik tiles (as well as a hefty portion of the exterior).  Numerous floral designs are present within the mosque, to include at least five that I spotted.  The best mosque of the “official” tour, the fact that it was built above one of the busier parts of the old city added to its unique feel.

New Mosque

 From Left: "Hassan" and "Hussein" displayed atop the mosque's interior entrance; notable as these two are revered in Shi'ism, not Sunnism, for which almost all Turks profess.

After the official portion of the tour concluded, most of the group meandered over to the 1663 New Mosque.  Sitting between the Galata Bridge and the Istanbul train station, the mosque was the busiest that we visited the entire tour.  With prayer time upon us as we approched, waves of comers and goers made getting inside challenging; however, the high volüme of traffic created an atmosphere of importance lacking in the other mosques.

Added to this hub of activity was an impressive mix of scale and artistry.  This was one of the larger mosques visited; typically, counterparts such as the Suleminye or the Great Mosque in Bursa lacked ornamented tiling and had relied upon calligraphy to decorate its walls.  This mosque, on the contrary, had a balanced mix of Iznik tiling and calligraphy that made it unique an one of the more pleasant to the eyes.

Istanbul Gare

Once the far eastern stop on the “Orient Express” from Paris, the city’s central train station is still in use but not as a part of that three-day ticket, which has terminated in Belgrade for the past couple decades.  Painted an off purple-pink, the station sits in the heart of the city within walking distance of the downtown district and within eyesight of the Galata Bridge. A small station at street level, but for its color, the once Eastern-most hub of the “Express” would be easy to miss.

Hafiz Mustafa

Begun in 1869, the Hafiz Mustafa coffee and sweet shop has been selling Premium goods for nearly one-hundred-and-fifty years.  For this sunny afternoon, I had an English-style cafe macchiato and two pieces of hazelnut baclava as the meows of toy kittens echoed from the other side of the Street.