Süleymaniye Mosque, Ottoman mosque in Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey
Süleymaniye Mosque is a prayer hall on Istanbul's third hill in Istanbul Province, rising above the cityscape with four minarets and a dome. The interior is lit by numerous windows that draw daylight through colored glass into the prayer hall.
Mimar Sinan designed the complex on behalf of Sultan Süleyman, built between 1550 and 1557 to represent the Ottoman Empire outward. The compound grew into a center for education and care with schools and support facilities for the city population.
The four minarets and their ten balconies encode a message: Süleyman was the fourth sultan after the conquest of Istanbul, and the tenth Ottoman sultan overall. The mosque's soot was collected in a chamber above the main entrance door and used to make ink. Sinan's modest tomb stands just outside the outer courtyard wall, opposite the complex.
Those visiting the prayer hall should come outside prayer times and wear clothing that covers arms and legs. Women receive a headscarf at the entrance if they do not have one, and shoes are removed before entering.
The mausoleums of Sultan Süleyman and his wife Hürrem Sultan stand in the cemetery next to the compound and carry Iznik tiles on their walls. Few visitors know that Sinan himself rests in a modest grave nearby, away from the grand tombs.
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