The Blue Mosque in Istanbul is the Turkish Taj Mahal. Legends and facts

This mosque is one of the symbols of the apogee of the Ottoman Empire and one of the most outstanding masterpieces of Istanbul's most famous architect, Sinan.

This huge complex, built in 1557 without any cranes, bulldozers, computer modeling or modern building materials, amazes not only with its architectural forms and elements, but also with the use of technologies that have made it possible to survive 89 (!!!) serious earthquakes over 450 years force more than 7 points on the Richter scale.

But Sinan, opening the mosque, said, “This mosque will stand forever.”

And while his words are confirmed by reality...

I have already shown this photo, but for a detailed story about the Suleymaniye Mosque I will post it again.

The mosque itself is located in the old part of the city, in the Vefa district (part of the Fatih district).

In fact, this is a huge complex consisting of a mosque itself with four minarets, bath buildings, madrassas (educational institutions), kitchens, libraries and an observatory. The dimensions of the entire complex are comparable in size to a modern city block.

The height of the dome of the mosque is 53 meters, the diameter is 26.5 meters, which is superior in height, but inferior in width to the Byzantine Church of Hagia Sophia, located a few kilometers from Suleymaniye.

Despite the fact that this is the largest mosque in Istanbul, it is considered second in importance after the Sultan Ahmet Mosque.

Sinan built the Suleymaniye Mosque on the orders of the 10th Ottoman padishah, Sultan Suleiman the Lawgiver, who reigned between 1520-1566. Construction of the mosque, begun in 1550, was completed in 1557. During the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Lawgiver, the Ottoman Empire experienced its heyday and reached the apogee that the Byzantine Empire reached during the years of Justinian. It is interesting that Sultan Suleiman the Lawgiver began the construction of this mosque only on the 30th anniversary of his accession to the throne.

The layout of the mosque is largely reminiscent of Hagia Sophia, built in a significantly monumental and lavish manner. Exactly 1,000 years later, Hagia Sophia served Sinan as the architectural model for a mosque built in honor of another Suleiman, Sultan Suleiman the Lawgiver.

It is interesting that both temples, between which there is a gap of 10 centuries, are united by the fact that they were built at the peak of power, wealth and enlightenment of two different empires - Byzantine and Ottoman.

The front courtyard, located in the western part of the mosque, has 3 entrances. The courtyard is surrounded by 24 marble columns (10 white, 12 pink, 2 porphyry). The gallery's portico is decorated with 28 domes.

In the center of the front courtyard, a quadrangular marble structure resembles the Holy Kaaba.

The huge dome of the mosque is supported by four wide pilasters on the east and west. On the north and south sides there are two large arcades supported by two red granite columns. One of these columns was brought from the Ljubljana Temple of Zeus (Baalbek), the second from Alexandria, the third from the Istanbul Mosque, located near Suleymaniye, the fourth column from the vicinity of Topkapi Palace. The columns are supposed to symbolize the four Islamic caliphs.

Painting of one of the domes of the portico. Only three primary colors were used, with which all Istanbul mosques were painted in the Middle Ages - black, wine red and gold.

The area of the city of Vefa, which belonged to non-Muslims in the 16th century, was located on the third of 7 hills, on a slope overlooking Khalich. Sinan called this mosque “My brainchild” and built it in the very center of the garden. In front of the façade of the mosque there is a courtyard covered with a portico, and inside the courtyard there are two turbes of Sultan Suleiman the Lawgiver and his wife Hurrem.

The mosque building has four minarets with 10 sherefes (balconies on the minaret). The four minarets built by Sinan indicate the four padishahs (after the conquest of Sultan Suleiman the Lawgiver), and the 10 balconies on the minaret indicate the 10 sultans of the Ottoman Empire. Another legend about these famous minarets is the semi-legendary story about the precious stones (emerald, ruby, diamond) that the Persian Shah Tahmasib sent to Sultan Suleiman with an open hint that he did not have enough funds to complete the construction, the Sultan was angry with the Shah and ordered Sinan to place precious stones in the foundation of one of the minarets.

There is an ancient cemetery in the backyard of the mosque. The flat cobblestone paths are always crowded.

And this is not at all surprising...

The fact is that various influential persons and palace nobility are buried in this cemetery.

And, of course, for each deceased person his own personal gravestone was made. Some of them are real masterpieces.
And so this old cemetery became, in fact, a unique museum of gravestones in the open air.

There is a lot to see here - fine stone carvings that are many hundreds of years old, ornate Arabic writing, unusual stone fezzes, flowers and ornaments...

Several ancient funeral slabs

But the most important burials in this cemetery are two mausoleums - Suleiman himself and his beloved wife, the famous Roksolana, who was the daughter of a Russian priest and became the mother of the subsequent padishah Selim 2.

The mausoleum (turbe) of Suleiman is located in the very center of the cemetery and it is much more magnificent than the mausoleum of his wife.

Inside the turbe of Sultan Suleiman the Lawgiver there are 8 tombs, three of them belong to the padishahs. Two other Ottoman sultans are also buried here - Sultan Ahmed 2nd and Sultan Suleiman 2nd. Here is also the tomb of the daughter of Sultan Suleiman the Lawgiver - Mikhriman.

Here again it is worth paying attention to the painting of the domes and vaults: it was with such bright colors - black, wine red and gold - that the inside of Istanbul mosques were once painted, differing from the bluish-brown pale arabesques that we often see now.

The walls of the mosque are decorated with Iznik ceramic slabs, which are replete with artistic elements and carvings.

Turbe dome edging. Here, every element is thought out and carved from stone with special care.
Let me remind you that there were no milling machines or 3D modeling back then. Everything was done by hand by craftsmen.

In the farthest corner of the cemetery, opposite Suleiman’s mausoleum, there is the mausoleum of his wife, Haseki Hurrem, known as Roksolana. She took a close part in state affairs and was the beloved wife of Suleiman the Lawgiver.

The most educated woman of her time, Hurrem Haseki Sultan received foreign ambassadors, answered letters from foreign rulers, influential nobles and artists. On her initiative, several mosques, a bathhouse and a madrasah were built in Istanbul.

She died on April 15 or 18, 1558 due to a long illness or poisoning. A year after her death, Roksolana’s body was placed in this mausoleum. The inside is decorated with exquisite Iznik ceramic tiles depicting the Garden of Eden, as well as the text of poems, perhaps in honor of her smile and cheerful character.

There is an assumption that inside the tomb of Hurrem there is also the coffin of Hanim Sultan, daughter of Hatice Sultan, sister of Suleiman.

By the way, very close to the mausoleums of Suleiman and his wife Roksolana, there is another burial that deserves special attention. It is also considered part of the Suleiman Mosque complex, but is located not in the cemetery, but behind the fence of the complex, at the intersection of modern streets Mimar Sinad cad. and Fetva Yokusu sok.

This is the tomb of the architect Sinan himself. Modest, but a masterpiece of architecture and stone carving, the tomb is open to access only once a year, on the day of “Memory of Sinan” (April 9). With its modesty and location in the very corner of the magnificent complex, it resembles Sinan’s autograph, which he placed under his own masterpiece.

This outstanding architect, who lived and worked in 1490-1588, was the chief court architect of five Ottoman padishahs, and during his 50-year creative life, Sinan built about 400 architectural monuments. It is interesting that Sinan came to Istanbul as a 22-year-old youth to serve in the Janissary corps. After 19 years of Janissary service, he showed brilliant abilities in architecture and became the most famous court architect of the Ottoman Empire.

It is interesting that out of the 400 structures built by Sinan, it is also located in Crimea. This is the Juma-Jami mosque in Evpatoria

But let's return to the mosque.

Today it can accommodate more than 5,000 believers simultaneously under its huge dome.

If you want to visit the Suleiman Mosque, there are a few things to know.

Firstly, it is open to the public every day from 9.00 to 17.30. Except for prayer time!!! If you came not to pray, but as a tourist, you need to enter not through the main entrance, but through the side one, as indicated by a special sign. Non-Muslims are prohibited from entering during prayer. Unfortunately, it was during prayer that we filmed this magnificent complex, and we were unable to get inside the mosque.

The entrance to the courtyard from the outside of the complex is through 11 gates.

There are built-in fountains on the southern wall of the mosque, which are used for ritual ablution before prayer.

The courtyard with fountains is quite large and there are many fountains. Indeed, during the most significant Muslim holidays, a huge number of people often gather here. As I already said, more than 5,000 believers can be in the mosque at the same time. On such days, during prayer, each person praying has an area of approximately 1 square meter. m.

When I took this photo, I noticed one feature - grimy beggar boys were hanging around the fountains with might and main, hunting for small change.

It would seem that what’s surprising?

In fact, during 4 days in Istanbul, I noticed one thing. Turkish boys do not beg in any literal sense or form. They “sell” paper hand napkins for 1 lira, which cost almost nothing in bulk. All the beggars who are simply begging for money are Syrians and representatives of other Arab nations. Moreover, these are not only children, but often women - alone or with children wrapped in rags.

I did not see any Turkish female beggars, or even adult beggars of non-Arab appearance, during my stay in Istanbul.

But a mosque and a cemetery with mausoleums are not all that Sinan built in this complex.

Around the garden, Sinan built a huge Suleymaniye madrasah. This madrasah (school attached to a mosque) resembles an independent town surrounding the architectural complex of the mosque. Opposite the complex, on the opposite side of the road, there are madrassas: Evvel (First) and Sani (Second); and on the other side of the mosque, on a slope overlooking Halich Salis (Third) and Rabi (Fourth).

Right in front of the mosque courtyard you can see a large building covered with domes. This is also part of the complex and in the past it was a caravanserai, where visiting merchants were fed free lunches for three days, and now it houses one of the best restaurants of national cuisine - Daruzziyafe.

In general, it must be said that during four days in Istanbul, I saw a lot of restaurants that were located in various historical places - caravanserais, various dungeons, cisterns, excavated castles, etc.

Like many similar Istanbul establishments located on site or right inside historical monuments, there is a small museum for visitors.

In addition to the premises of the former caravanserai, which was carefully restored under the supervision of specialist historians, there are several interesting exhibits.

This is a millstone that was used to grind flour 500 years ago...

And this is a stone storage box for grain or flour.

The hollow, almost dead tree's roots go back to the days when Sinan built the Suleymaniye complex.

This tree remembers Sinan, and ordinary builders, and many more people who stood near it over these 450 years.

Tables for guests under domes painted in the same classic colors - black, wine red and gold

And again I look under the dome, raising my head

Even at the end of January, the garden around the Suleymaniye Mosque is green and spacious.

During the busy tourist season, the streets surrounding the Suleymaniye complex are filled with tourist buses, crowds of visitors and merchants.

In the shops (built, by the way, at the same time as the mosque) in our time they sell souvenirs, but in the time of Suleiman they sold opium.

A few final photos. View of the Suleymaniye complex from one of the surrounding rooftops.

And this is a view of the mosque from the wall of Istanbul University. It is from here, albeit from a slightly different point, that the photo was taken, which is placed in the title of the post (who is attentive, can even see my shadow on the fence)

An ablution fountain that is over 500 years old and water that can flow forever….

View of the Blue Mosque.

Why is the Blue Mosque interesting?

The Blue Mosque, or Sultanahmet, is located in the main historical square, opposite the cathedral. Both names are not accidental. Most tourists who have seen the complex from the outside are perplexed. Why Blue if it looks grey? To understand this, you need to be inside. The halls are decorated with 20,000 white and blue ceramic tiles.

The second name is given in honor of Ahmed I. He could not win the wars with Persia and Hungary. A series of popular and military uprisings continued in the country. To leave a mark on history, the young ruler gave the order to begin grandiose construction. And he did it on time. A year after the completion of the work, the Turkish ruler died.

View of the mosque from the Bosphorus.

Why else does this place attract tourists? First of all, grandeur. The building can accommodate almost 10 thousand people. The height of the dome is 43 m. And the diameter is 23. It is not surprising that here everyone feels the greatness of higher powers and their own insignificance. Another feature is the minarets of the Blue Mosque. There are 6 of them. A carpet museum is now open in one of them.

An outstanding example of Byzantine and Islamic architecture was built by Sedefkar Mehmet Agha. A student of one of the most prominent architects of the Ottoman Empire, who decided to outshine his mentor. The builders used tons of granite and sandstone. The walls are decorated with unique ceramics and ornaments.

Everyone should visit this place. Even people far from religion. After all, this is a real work of art. A majestic structure that will take your breath away.

Blue Mosque in detail.

Photographer exumo

Story

The history of the Blue Mosque began in 1609 due to a combination of not the most favorable circumstances. A series of defeats in major wars and unrest in the state led to the undermining of Turkey's international authority. Moreover, over the past 40 years, not a single ruler has built such structures in the city. In order to appease Allah and perpetuate his name, Ahmed ordered the construction of a building that was grandiose in its design and decoration.

The choice of the location where the Blue Mosque is located was taken seriously. They decided to build the building opposite the Hagia Sophia. Firstly, to surpass the splendor of the temple. Secondly, due to its proximity to . This place also had symbolic meaning. The complex, built on the ruins of the hippodrome and the imperial palace, towers over the city from the south, reminiscent of the greatness of Turkey.

More than 1,500 people were involved in the work. And they were led by the assistant of the great Sinan, who built Suleymaniye and Shehzade. A detailed description of the seven-year construction is immortalized in 6 volumes of manuscripts, which are now kept in Topkapi. To decorate the inside of the Blue Mosque they used:

about 20 thousand tiles;
handmade silk carpets;
hundreds of lamps;
Venetian glass;
a single piece of marble for the mihrab.

The most famous masters were convened to decorate the halls. They decorated the walls with roses and tulips and floral ornaments. The dome is filled with suras and sayings of the prophets.

All work was completed in 1617. A year later, Ahmed I died. He himself, his wife and several other family members were buried in the mausoleum.

Sultanahmet inside and outside

Sultanahmet was supposed to eclipse all existing buildings in the former Constantinople. It was conceived as a place for prayer and a socially significant object, including:

internal and external courtyards;
madrasah;
charitable institutions;
caravanserai and hospital.

The latter were destroyed in the 19th century.

You can enter the courtyard through 6 gates. Three of them open from the square near the Blue Mosque. The rest are from the northeastern part. The front doors lead inside. But only Muslims can enter them. Tourists enter from the south. On the western side there is an entrance with a chain hanging very low. It was built specifically for the Sultan. Every time he bent down, he showed his insignificance before God.

Courtyard of the Sultanahmet Mosque.

Photographer LWYang

The central dome is supported by 5 columns in the shape of an elephant's foot. The diameter of each is 5 m. A black stone specially brought from Mecca is installed in the mihrab. That is why believers begin their pilgrimage to the holy city for Muslims from here.

The space is illuminated through 260 windows. Modern stained glass windows have become a replacement for glass from Venice. Not far from the entrance there are 9 fountains for ablution before prayer. As elsewhere, there are separate prayer halls for men and women. The main part is open to men, and not only Muslims. No one is allowed into the women's quarters.

Inside you can admire the magnificent paintings of the walls and dome. See the model of the house of the Prophet Muhammad. At the exit from the mosque, everyone can leave a donation.

Legends and facts

There are several interesting stories associated with the Blue Mosque of Ahmed I in Turkey. One of them explains why there are 6 minarets. It is believed that the architect made a mistake. He simply misunderstood his master. He wanted to build towers made of pure gold “Altyn”. Sedefkar heard “alty” - six.

This misunderstanding almost caused a major scandal. After all, only Masjid al-Haram had such a number of minarets. It turned out that the symbol of Ahmed’s greatness was equal to her in importance. The elders considered this a great sacrilege. Only a wise decision helped the Sultan and the architect avoid anger. Another, 7th tower was added to the main shrine in Mecca, and it again became the greatest.

Another interesting fact is not at all related to religion. During construction, almost all Iznik factories supplying ceramics were destroyed. Ahmed forbade selling it for other projects. And he paid his bills very sloppily. Or didn't pay at all.

Ottoman architecture emerged in Bursa and Edirne in the 15th and 16th centuries. and originated from the early Seljuk architecture. It was also heavily influenced by Byzantine architecture, as well as Iranian and Mamluk traditions. After the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks, Christian chapels and churches were simply adapted into mosques in the conquered cities; subsequently, Byzantine architectural artifacts, such as the Hagia Sophia, served as models for many Ottoman mosques. In independent buildings, Ottoman architects developed the theme of a large domed ceiling in different versions, and in the 15th century they created a special type of multi-domed mosque. Mosques of this type rest on columns, are decorated with numerous domes with one central one, and often the courtyard is surrounded by a gallery. There are often numerous extensions that are attached to the main building and are also often covered with small domes. Ottoman mosques are distinguished by thin minarets with conical lanterns. And, if Byzantine masters decorated the capitals of columns with chiseled and carved leaves, then Ottoman masters used combinations of stalactites, which were used in Arab countries and Iran.

Yeni Quma Mosque Trabzon, Türkiye. Previously it was a Byzantine church dedicated to St. Eugene.

Saint Eugene is considered the patron saint of Trebizond. He suffered for the Christian faith when he accused pagan judges of cruelty and renounced their faith. The punishment was cruel: his tongue was torn out, his arms and legs were broken. The exact date of construction of the church is not known, but there is an inscription on one of the walls indicating the year 1291. There are still traces of frescoes on the walls, and fragments of mosaics on the floors. According to legend, after the capture of Trebizond, Sultan Mehmed II Fatih, having performed a ritual of ablution in the fountain, read the Friday prayer here (hence the second name of the mosque), and declared this temple a mosque.

Beyazit Mosque is one of the largest mosques in Istanbul. The mosque was built between 1500 and 1505. Sultan Beyazit. The architects who built the mosque were presumably Kemaledin and Hayretdin. The diameter of the mosque's dome is 17 meters. Ottoman architects covered the domes of the mosque with lead slabs, and built a golden crescent on the spire. The minarets of the mosque are decorated with brick ornaments.

Construction in the Ottoman Empire reached a particular scale during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (1520–1566). It was during this period that Khoja Kemal ad-din Sinan became the main architect. The list of structures that he built across the vast expanse of the Ottoman Empire contains about 300 items. These are mosques (including two in Crimea), masjids (quarter mosques), madrassas, dar ul-qurra (libraries), türbe (tombs), tekke (Sufi complexes), imarets (charitable institutions), maristans (hospitals), water pipes , bridges, caravanserais, palaces and baths. The work of Kemal ad-din Sinan is considered the pinnacle of Ottoman architecture; the architect himself was even called the “Turkish Leonardo.” Indeed, no one could surpass him, and the buildings he created became standards for religious architecture throughout the Muslim world. The architect Sinan himself singled out three of his works as the most successful: the Shehzade, Suleymaniye, and Selimiye mosques.

Shehzade Mosque (1543–1548) was built by order of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in memory of Shehzade Cihangir, the youngest son of Suleiman 1 from his legal wife Hurrem Sultan. It is believed that this is where the “golden age” of Ottoman architecture began. Multi-colored stone and stained glass were used to decorate the interior, but there are no cenotaphs in the mosque itself. According to Ottoman tradition, a special turbe was built outside the mosque for the burial of remains.

Suleymaniye Mosque (1549–1557) in Istanbul, Türkiye.

The four minarets in the corners remind us that Suleiman is the fourth sultan after the Ottoman capture of Constantinople, and the ten sherefe balconies on the minarets symbolize that he is the tenth sultan since the founding of the Ottoman Empire. Its two minarets are of different heights, but they are placed far from each other, which makes this fact little noticeable. The lower one is equal in height to the dome spire.

The dome is illuminated by almost one and a half hundred windows, thanks to which a person who comes here finds himself in a stream of light flowing from the very top of the dome to the ground. Inside you can see antique columns with different capitals, taken from various Byzantine churches, but they fit well into the overall ensemble of the mosque. To the east of the mosque there is the turbe of Sultan Suleiman and the turbe of his beloved wife Roksolana

Selimiye Mosque (1566–1574) in Edirne, Türkiye. It amazes with its grandiose silhouette, which has become the dominant feature of the city. Its dome rests on eight pillars, and the rotunda formed by them is “inscribed” in the square of the walls so that the entire space is perceived as a single whole. The dome drum is equipped with many windows through which light enters the mosque and illuminates the exquisite ornamentation of the walls.

Continuing the traditions of Byzantine architects, Sinan created huge domes supported on four sides by large conchs, below which were smaller vaults and arches. He made extensive use of inlaid marble panels and stained glass. The minarets of Sinan are always slender towers with fluted trunks, “tied up” with an elegant - shurfe - balcony in the upper part, preceding the pointed spire. The architecture of Sinan is characterized by a certain geometric rhythm: the circumference of the powerful dome and the vertical direction of the minarets are in perfect harmony with the pointed arches that adorn the buildings in abundance.

Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Ahmet) Istanbul, Türkiye Construction time: 1609-1616. Other names: Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet Mosque, Ahmediye Mosque.

Architect: Sedefkar Mehmed Agha - one of the most talented students of the great Sinan Capacity: up to 10 thousand people. One of the largest mosques in Turkey was erected in honor of Sultan Ahmed I (1601–1617). The official name of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque is Ahmediye, but it is often called the Blue Mosque. The fact is that the interior of the temple is decorated with handmade tiles, in which blue is the predominant color. But this name can also be associated with the gray-blue color of the external walls and domes of the mosque. Shields with the names of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad, made by the famous calligrapher Qasim Gubari, are hung on the walls, and a small fragment of black stone from Mecca’s al-Ka’ba is mounted in the mihrab.

Sultanahmet is a mosque with six minarets. The Al-Haram Mosque had the same number of minarets. The Imam of Mecca called this sacrilege, and in order to resolve the conflict, Sultan Ahmed I ordered the construction of a seventh minaret to the Al-Haram mosque.

During the XVIII, XIX and early XX centuries. Ottoman architecture comes under the influence of European styles. Round, wavy and curved lines dominate the structures of this period.

Dolmabahce Mosque Besiktas, Türkiye. This is one of the most beautiful and richly decorated mosques. It is located in the southern part of Dolmabahce Palace, on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait. The mosque was built in 1855 according to the design of the architect Garabet Balyan. It was ordered to be erected by Sultan Abdülmecid. The uniqueness of the mosque is given by its windows, reminiscent of a peacock's tail, and two minarets, decorated with balconies.

The Laleli Jamia Mosque, built by Sultan Mustafa III in 1759-1763, was designed by the architect Mehmed Tahir Aghi - an example of Ottoman Baroque. The mosque is located in the Fatih district and is the last imperial complex built in Istanbul.

Ortakoy Mosque in Istanbul. Located in the new part of the city in the Ortakoy district next to the Bosphorus Bridge. Built in 1853-1854, it has two minarets.

The mosque was built in the Ottoman Baroque style. Sultan Abdulmecid I entrusted its construction to the Armenian architect Nikogos Balyan; architects from the Balyan family and the Fossati brothers were leading specialists of the time.

Beylerbeyi Mosque Istanbul, Türkiye. It was erected in 1778 in memory of the mother of Rabia Sultan by the architect Mehmed Tahir Agha by order of Sultan Abdulhamid I.

The main room of the mosque is crowned with a large dome and five small semi-domes, which are set on two vaults. Its decoration is round S- and C-shaped arches. There are 20 windows around the domed vault of the mosque, so it is quite bright.

Some mosques were even designed with Ottoman Neo-Gothic style arrangement, like the Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Mosque. It was built in 1871 in the ornate and much-ridiculed Western style, commonly referred to as imperial, which is defined by the mosque's ornate windows and dome.

The Nusretiye Mosque was built by Sultan Mahmud II in 1826 as a symbol of his victory over the Janissaries. The mosque building was designed by the founder of the famous dynasty of architects, Grigor Balyan. It is considered a striking example of the Ottoman Baroque style. The dome of the mosque reaches a height of 33 meters. It rests directly on the walls, so the interior space is not blocked by columns and looks very spacious and light. White marble is the main material for interior decoration. The main decoration of the mosque is its two thinnest minarets, perhaps the most elegant among all those in Istanbul.

Kocatepe Mosque is the largest mosque and one of the main attractions of the Turkish capital (Ankara). It is located in the area of the same name, slightly south of the historical city center. Construction of the Kocatepe Mosque began in 1967.

Kocatepe Mosque is crowned with a large dome and surrounded by four minarets, and is designed in the style of classical Ottoman mosques. The height of its main dome is about 48.5 meters, and its diameter is 26 meters. The height of the minarets decorated with gilded crescents is 88 meters. The total area of the structure is 4288 square meters.

The Sabanci Markez Mosque in the city of Adana is the largest in the Middle East and, according to many experts, one of the most beautiful. Construction time 1998-1999. The author of the project is Necip Dinch. Capacity: 28,500 people.

Externally, Sabancı Marquez is very similar to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. It is just as majestic, and, unlike other mosques, it has six minarets. Four of them are 99 meters high, the other two are 75 meters high, so they can be seen from almost every corner of the city. The minarets are made of concrete, which includes white cement and ivory-colored crushed stone.

The central hall of the mosque can accommodate 28,500 worshipers at a time. Its powerful dome with a diameter of 32 meters rests on eight huge supporting columns. The highest point of the dome is 54 meters above floor level. The interior decoration of the mosque uses light marble, tiles in the form of ornaments, traditional for Turkish religious buildings, and calligraphic works by the famous calligrapher Hussein Kutlu.

The Ottoman sultans paid great attention to decorating the capital, as well as creating magnificent mosques throughout the caliphate. Traveling through their domains, the sultans ordered the construction of one building or another on the occasion of their visit (most often mosques, madrassas or tekke - premises for Sufis). Therefore, Ottoman-type buildings during this period were built in Damascus (Tekke Suleymaniye), Cairo, Baghdad and other cities.

There are about 3 thousand mosques in Istanbul, built during the reign of the Ottoman dynasties. All Ottoman sultans, sultanas, sehzade and pashas sought to leave their mark on history by building their own mosque. Be sure to visit at least 3 Istanbul mosques: Blue Mosque, Suleymaniye Mosque and New Mosque.

Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque or Sultan Ahmed Mosque is rightfully the hallmark of Istanbul. The magnificent and majestic mosque, located opposite the Hagia Sophia, was built in the 17th century. Sultan Ahmed was only 19 years old when he began building the mosque in 1609. Construction lasted 7 years.

According to legend, Sultan Ahmed sought to surpass Hagia Sophia in beauty and grandeur. Leaving the city, he ordered the architect to build golden minarets for the mosque, but the master either considered the whims of the young Sultan too costly for the treasury and cheated, or was really mistaken: in Turkish the words “golden” and “six” sound almost the same: Altin and Alti. As a result, 6 stone minarets were built, thanks to which today the Blue Mosque is the only mosque in the world with six minarets (usually four).

Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: Eddie Crutchley, Flickr

Blue Mosque, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: Jordi Cayuela, Flickr

The interior walls of the mosque are lined with blue and tiled tiles, which is why it is called the Blue Mosque.

There are always a lot of tourists from all over the world here, but despite this, the mosque is quiet, majestic and very calm. When entering the mosque, you must take off your shoes; women must cover their heads with a scarf, which the mosque servants will kindly provide you with.

The Blue Mosque is active, prayers are held here every morning and every evening, so try to visit the Mosque between 8.30 - 16.30.
Open daily from 5.30 am to 9 pm.
During prayers, mosque guests are only allowed into the courtyard.
the entrance is free

Suleymaniye Mosque

Suleymaniye is a majestic mosque in Istanbul, which became the last refuge of Suleiman the Magnificent and his beloved wife Roksolana.

Suleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: =Tom=, Flickr

Suleymaniye was built by Suleiman the Magnificent thirty years after he ascended the throne. Suleiman wanted his mosque to be truly unique and he achieved this. He entrusted the construction of the mosque to the talented and famous architect Sinan. Beauty and peace reign inside the mosque.

Suleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: Greg Long, Flickr

In the backyard of the mosque there is a cemetery where Suleiman and his beloved wife Roksolana are buried. If the entrance to the gallery (from the Golden Horn) is open during your visit, you will be able to see a magnificent view.

Visiting the mosque is free. You must remove your shoes at the entrance. Women must take a scarf from the warden and cover their heads.
The mosque is open from 9.30 to 17.30.

New Mosque

The new mosque is located on the square of the same name opposite the Galata Bridge on the banks of the Golden Horn (Eminönü district). The official name of the mosque is the New Valide Sultan Mosque. This mosque had a difficult fate; construction lasted more than 50 years. Construction was started by Safiye Sultan, and completed several decades later by Turhan Sultan, both sultanas were at one time influential valide sultans (mothers of the ruling sultans).

A beautiful view of the New Mosque opens from.

New Valide Sultan Mosque, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: Vasilis Tsikkinis, Flickr

The peculiarity of the New Mosque is the huge number of pigeons that, for some reason known only to them, have chosen this noisy place :)

Istanbul, Türkiye). Photo: Yusri Yusof, Flickr

Topkapi Palace

Topkapi is a beautiful palace complex located on a high hill.

700,000 square meters in the very center of Istanbul, on which lies a complex of palaces, pavilions, mosques, fountains and parks. The palace is surrounded by an almost five-kilometer wall. The viewing platforms of the palace offer magnificent views of the Golden Horn Bay and the Sea of Marmara.

Topkapi Palace, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: jinxsi1960, Flickr

The palace was the residence of the Ottoman sultans and the business and cultural center of the Empire for more than 400 years. During the “golden age” of the Ottoman Empire, about 4 thousand people lived here. The palace began construction in 1459, six years after the Ottomans conquered Istanbul.

Topkapi has long been a business and government center, but in the 16th century, under the influence of Sultana Hurem (known in Europe as Roksolana), one of the most famous and influential Suleymaniye (Sultan's wives) in the history of the Ottoman Empire, a harem was added to the palace complex. The Sultan's family left Topkapi Palace only in 1839. Today it is a huge open-air museum, the collection of which includes about 86,000 valuable exhibits.

Topkapi Palace, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: Laurent, Flickr

The territory of the harem is of particular interest. And although a small part of the harem is open for inspection, it still gives an idea of the personal life of the Sultan and his family. In order to explore the Palace and Harem, as well as enjoy the charm and comfort of the palace parks, plan to spend at least half a day in the Palace. Be sure to take an “electronic guide” who will tell you a lot of interesting things about the life and customs of the Ottoman Sultanate.

Topkapi Palace, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: Chris Brown, Flickr

When going to Topkapi, stock up on Turkish pastries; they will come in handy when you decide to take a break on one of the tempting green lawns of the Palace.

The palace is open every day, except Tuesday, from 9.00 to 17.00.
Entrance is 10 liras to the palace territory, a separate fee of 10 liras to the harem territory.
Electronic guide - 15 liras valid both on the territory of the palace and on the territory of the harem.

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia - “Church of Hagia Sophia, the Wisdom of God.” This beautiful temple has been a stronghold of Christianity for more than a thousand years. First a small basilica, over time a magnificent Christian temple - Hagia Sophia was the center of religious life of the great Byzantine Empire. When Byzantium fell and Mehmed the Conqueror captured Constantinople, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque. For almost 500 years, the majestic Orthodox church served as a mosque. In 1935, Hagia Sophia became one of the most famous museums in the world.

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: YetAnotherLisa, Flickr

The museum carried out restoration work to restore the Christian frescoes of the temple and mosaics from the iconoclast period. Layers of plaster were removed from the frescoes and mosaics and today inside the temple you will see images of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary next to round shields with quotes from the Koran...

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: satellitelite, Flickr

While visiting Hagia Sophia, don’t forget to make a wish, go up to the “weeping column” and try to draw a kind of circle with your palm in the hole of the column. They say that if you succeed, your wish will definitely come true...

Open daily except Monday from 9.30am to 4.30pm.
Entrance 20 liras.

Galata Tower and Galata Bridge

The Galata Bridge connects parts of Istanbul that are separated. The bridge is a two-story structure, the lower part of which is given over to restaurants.

Galata Bridge, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: Elia Locardi, Flickr

Galata Bridge is a popular place to watch the sunset, with magnificent views from the bridge.

The Galata Tower is located on a high hill of old Galata, a former Genoese settlement, which today is part of.

Galata Tower, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: Maria José Almeida, Flickr

At the top of the tower there is an observation deck where you can climb to admire the bird's eye view.

Panorama of Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: Hamoon Nasiri, Flickr

Markets of Istanbul

The Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market occupy a special place in the list of attractions in Istanbul. Here you can not only buy a lot of necessary and unnecessary things, but also feel the rhythm and colorful atmosphere of the city.

Big Bazaar

(Covered Bazaar), also known as the "Grand Bazaar", is a huge labyrinth in the city center of 4,000 shops located in 60 alleys.

Grand Bazaar, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: Clarkson Lee, Flickr

The Grand Bazaar was a vital shopping center for the city during the Ottoman Empire and today remains one of Istanbul's most popular shopping centers. Among the magnificent alleys with huge domed roofs, you can wander for hours, looking at stalls with various utensils and talking with sellers. Between the alleys there are signs to various quarters of the Bazaar, but it’s still easy to get lost here.

Grand Bazaar, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: Mashhour Halawani, Flickr

The atmosphere of the Big Bazaar is unique and friendly. Bargaining here is like a game and is a mandatory element of shopping in Turkish. The Grand Bazaar is always crowded, and especially on Saturday. If you want to calmly walk around the Bazaar, drink apple tea and get maximum attention to yourself, then come early in the morning when the sellers are just opening their shops. There is a large selection and reasonable prices for leather goods, gold and silver jewelry, dishes and souvenirs.

The Grand Bazaar is open from 8.30 to 19.00, closed on Sunday.

Spice Bazaar

The spice bazaar is also called the Egyptian bazaar. It was built during the Ottoman era with money from Egyptian spice traders.

A whole block of shops with a wide variety of spices, which are the undisputed symbol of the East. Here you can buy spices and sweets, immerse yourself in the aromas of the East and feel the authentic atmosphere of noisy shopping arcades.

Spice Bazaar, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: Stewart, Flickr

In addition to spices and sweets, souvenirs, aromatic oils, aphrodisiacs, herbs, hookahs and other truly oriental goods are sold here. And in the small streets around the bazaar there are a huge variety of shops - grocery, fish, vegetables, fruit, flowers...

All this shopping chaos makes a special impression on guests of Istanbul and many prefer to buy souvenirs and gifts here. As at any oriental bazaar, bargaining is encouraged, and prices are quite reasonable.

The spice bazaar is located in, not far from the Galata Bridge and occupies an entire block, which stretches to the shore of the Golden Bay. The bazaar is open from 8.30 to 18.30, closed on Sunday.

Hamam Cemberlitas

The list of Istanbul attractions would not be complete without Cemberlitas.

It is impossible to truly experience Istanbul without visiting the historical Turkish Cemberlitas bathhouse. You will not see or feel anything like this anywhere else, ever. This is a real public bath. In the first minutes in the steam room, it seems that you have found yourself at least five centuries ago. The baths are geographically divided into men's and women's. It seems that the walls of the baths have remained untouched since 1584, when the baths were first built.

Cemberlitas Hamam, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: Yusri Yusof, Flickr

In the hottest rooms of the hammam, you must first win a place for yourself on a huge hot stone in the middle, where, having made yourself comfortable, you can admire the sky, which is visible through the small round windows of the high domed roof.

After visitors have steamed, the bathhouse attendants give them a foam massage. Believe me, such colorful bath attendants (bath attendants) can only be found in Cemberditash 😀

Cemberlitas Hamam, Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo: damian entwistle, Flickr

Here is a real public bathhouse, here every visitor will be thoroughly steamed and washed, and besides, they will be immersed in the atmosphere of Istanbul of the 16th century...

Entrance to the baths – 20 liras, entrance + foam massage – 40 liras, entrance + foam massage + full body massage + face mask – 70 liras.

It was here that Constantinople was founded, and now the main attractions of the Turkish capital are located.
The bustling and spacious Sultanahmet Square is always filled with tourists and street vendors. It can be called the starting point for many routes and walks, as well as the concentration of important cultural and historical sites.
Cathedral Hagia Sophia (AY Sofia) and are located opposite each other, a little further is the Topkapi Palace, and on the other side of the square lies the Basilica Cistern underground.
Once upon a time, most of the area was occupied by the ancient Roman hippodrome. Now almost all of it is underground, and it is impossible to see it, except for individual fragments.
Construction of the hippodrome began at the end of the 2nd century, and ended in the 4th century under Constantine the Great in the 4th century.
The huge and magnificent building attracted 100 thousand spectators and competed with the Roman circus. The dividing line was decorated with monuments brought from all over the world.
The Hippodrome played an important role during the Roman Empire, but lost its importance under the Byzantines. In 1204, the crusaders stormed Constantinople and destroyed the hippodrome. The bronze quadriga was taken to Venice, where it was used to decorate St. Mark's Cathedral.
In 1453, the Ottomans found ruins on the site of the hippodrome, but this was the center of the city, so development began, residential buildings grew, and later the Blue Mosque. At the same time, the soil level rose, leaving the ancient hippodrome under a layer of earth.

Saint Sophie Cathedral

Hagia Sophia (Aya Sophia) was the largest Byzantine temple in the Christian world (before the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome).

The first temple on this site was erected in 360 under Emperor Constantine, calling it the “Big Church”
But in 404, the cathedral was destroyed during fires set by rioters due to the execution of Bishop John Chrysostom.
In 405, construction began on a new temple, which lasted 11 years.
But the new church was also burned during the Nika uprising, along with the imperial palace and neighboring buildings in 532.
Emperor Justinian suppressed the Nika rebellion and rebuilt Hagia Sophia in the form in which the temple has survived to this day.
Hagia Sophia built by the best architects of the time, among them Isidore of Miletus and Anthemia of Tralles. Construction began in 532 and was completed 5 years later. The marble for the basilica was brought from Anatolia and Mediterranean cities.
After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, Sultan Fatih Mehmed the Conqueror converted the temple into a mosque, adding a minaret. The frescoes and mosaics were covered with plaster, curtains and wood paneling.
In the mid-16th century, the architect Sinan strengthened the support of the main building and added Islamic elements.
After the founding of the Turkish Republic, restoration work began, and in 1935, on the orders of Ataturk, the temple was opened as a museum.
The length is 100 meters, the width reaches 70 meters. The basilica is crowned with a gigantic dome system. The dome, 55.6 m high, is considered one of the most perfect in Turkey and is among the top five tallest domes in the world.
The magnificent mosaics of Hagia Sophia date back to the mid-9th - late 10th centuries.

At the entrance to the building, at a depth of 2 meters, you can see the steps that served as the monumental entrance to the second church, columns, capitals and friezes.

Impressive and majestic Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) is the main work of classical Turkish-Islamic architecture.

Construction of the mosque began in 1609 by order of the 19-year-old Sultan Ahmed I. The architect was Mehmed Agha, a student of the great Sinan. It took seven years to build.
It got its name thanks to the interior, which is decorated with blue tiles. These blue tiles are an expensive piece of art that will take your breath away.

What is unusual is that in Blue Mosque Six minarets were built: four, as usual, are located on the sides, and two smaller ones are located on the outer corners of the courtyard. Legend says that the Sultan ordered the construction of a mosque with golden minarets (“altyn” in Turkish), but the architect, knowing that this was impossible, pretended that he had not heard and built six "alty" minarets.
is the largest in area in Istanbul.

Entrance to the mosque is free, but be prepared for a long queue.
When entering, you should take off your shoes and women should cover their heads with a headscarf.

Behind the mosque there is a picturesque Arasta market, where you can buy Turkish souvenirs, carpets, stones, jewelry. The market is a favorite place for tourists, the prices here are quite high, but the covered rows are suitable for pleasant walks.

Arasta market.

It is worth looking into the Meșala cafe at the beginning of the market; the guidebook will say that this is a tourist place, but here you can relax after long walks, smoke a hookah, and in the evening listen to live music or watch a dervish performance.

Visitors to the Arasta market.

Be sure to order Turkish tea (“tea” in Turkish is pronounced “tea”), dark and strong, it is served in tulip-shaped glass cups.

Or coffee brewed in a Turk, with added sugar and coffee grounds, taking up a good half of the cup.
More unusual things worth trying muhallebi- a traditional Turkish drink, milk jelly made with rice flour.
Or salep– a hot drink made from powdered orchid (salepa) with the addition of milk or water, sugar and spices.

Salep seller

Back at Sultanahmet Square, look for an ice cream stand. Turkish ice cream – dondurma– thick and elastic, it is made from salep – dried orchid tubers.

Don't go past the Turkish bagel, generously sprinkled with sesame seeds. He is called simit and they sell it at every turn. It’s amazing why the Turks love him so much!

The green dome attracts attention German fountain. It was built in Germany and shipped to Istanbul parts along the Danube River. It was assembled at this place in 1901. The fountain, decorated with golden mosaics, was a gift from the Chancellor of the German Empire, Wilhelm II, for Abdul Hamid during his visit to Istanbul. At that time, Germany and Türkiye were on close friendly relations.
The fountain is unusual in that its shape is more reminiscent of religious fountains than urban ones.

German fountain.

Heading towards the Topkani Palace, next to the Sultan's Gate one cannot help but notice the magnificent monumental Ahmed III fountain, which is a prime example of Turkish and Ottoman Rococo architecture. The fountain was built by Ahmed Agha, the chief architect of the court in the 18th century.

Fountain of Ahmed III.

The next attraction of Sultanahamet is Topkapi Palace- the ancient residence of the Ottoman sultans. The huge palace complex is amazing with its rich collection.
Topkapi Palace was built in 1465 during the reign of Mehmed the Conqueror. The palace was abandoned in 1853 due to the fact that it was difficult to heat. The Sultan's residence moved to Dolmabahce Palace.
Topkapi Palace- the largest and most ancient of all the imperial palaces that have survived to this day. Its original area was 700 thousand square meters. It housed not only the residence of the Sultan with a harem, but also the administrative headquarters of the Ottoman Empire.

Entering the palace through the Sultan's Gate, we find ourselves in the first courtyard. The guards, royal treasury, arsenal and warehouses were located here.
To the left of the entrance is Church of St. Irene, or "Sacred World" is the first known Byzantine church, built by Constantine in 330. The church is closed to the public and can only be visited on a special excursion.

From the first courtyard we move to the middle one. On the right side were the Sultan's kitchens, where about 100 cooks worked. Now silver utensils and dishes are displayed here.

Tower of Justice. Topkapi Palace.

Left – harem, a completely separate story of Topkapi Palace. Harem means a forbidden place. Outsiders, especially men, were not allowed here. The Topkapi Palace harem complex consists of 400 rooms, these are living rooms, kitchens, toilets, hospitals, bathrooms, connected to each other by passages and corridors, forming a labyrinth.
The largest room belonged to the Sultan's mother (Valida Sultan). The wives who gave birth to the Sultan’s son lived in slightly smaller rooms.
Once upon a time, thousands of people lived here, more than half were women, as well as their children and eunuchs.

Many of the rooms and chambers were designed by the Ottoman Michelangelo architect Sinan. The harem was decorated in an Ottoman style based on the Italian Baroque.

Topkapi Palace.

After the harem we will go to the third courtyard. Here are the palace pavilions and other luxurious halls - a library, reception halls, etc. In 1536, 580 craftsmen worked in the palace: jewelers, engravers, gold minters, seamstresses, amber craftsmen and others. Examples of their work are presented not only in the museum; passages, walls, furniture, ceilings and floors are decorated with their inlays and mosaics.
The treasury of the palace is magnificent, where unique jewelry and jewelry are stored. Among them, the most famous is the Qashiqchi diamond of 86 carats, i.e. approximately the size of a palm. It is considered one of the largest diamonds in the world. The legend tells of a poor man who found a diamond on the street and exchanged it for three spoons. “Kashikci” means spoon in Turkish. And also a golden throne weighing 250 kg.

Topkapi Palace.

An important attraction of Sultanahmet is the Basilica Cistern, which is an ancient underground reservoir.
Since its founding, Istanbul did not have its own water resources, so the supply took place through aqueducts, through which water flowed to the city, where it was collected in reservoirs. The most famous aqueduct that has survived to this day is the Valens or Bozdugan aqueduct.
During Byzantine times there were many cisterns for collecting water, but the largest and most famous was Basilica Cistern. It is said that it supplied water to the imperial palace.
was built in 532 under Emperor Justinian.
But after the collapse of the Byzantine Empire, it was abandoned because the Turks preferred to use running water. Years later, local residents discovered that under their houses there was a huge reservoir of fresh water, which they could drink, as well as replenish their household supply of fish, which was found in abundance in the underground reservoir.
The Turks call the cistern the “flooded palace.” Indeed, the underground structure is striking in its scope and grandeur of size.
The area of the cistern is more than 9 thousand square meters, but only a small part is open to tourist visits.
The dark room is illuminated with a dim red light, 336 Corinthian and Ionian columns are reflected in the water, the sound of falling drops creates a mystical atmosphere.

Of all the columns, two stand out - their lower parts are decorated with the inverted heads of the mythical Medusas. Thus, Emperor Justinian showed that the pagan gods are not able to help even themselves.

The Basilica Cistern was the largest Roman reservoir in the city. If the aqueduct broke down, it could supply water for several months. Currently, the cistern is 8 meters below ground level, but houses built above the reservoir are not in danger. The fact is that Istanbul is located on seven hills, and similar structures were built in natural depressions created by the terrain, strengthening them with columns and arches. It remains to look into Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, which is called the small Hagia Sophia.
This is one of the oldest churches in Istanbul, built from 1527 to 565. It was erected next to the house of Emperor Justinian, where he spent his youth. The church, founded several years earlier than the Hagia Sophia, served as its prototype.
After the fall of Constantinople, the church continued to operate, but in 1506 the church was partially destroyed and converted into a mosque. In 1762, a minaret was added.

Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus.

There are many restaurants with Turkish cuisine open in Sultanahmet, since their prices do not fluctuate much, you can choose any one to suit your taste.
Several restaurants have an outdoor panoramic rooftop terrace that offers breathtaking views.