Rum Mehmed Pasha Mosque

The Rum Mehmed Pasha Mosque sits on elevated ground facing the Bosphorus waterfront and uses stone and brick in typical 15th century fashion. Its interior is defined by straightforward, well-ordered design where columns and arched openings shape the prayer space.

Built in 1471 under Rum Mehmed Pasha, a Grand Vizier of Greek origin, this was the first Islamic structure on Istanbul's Asian side after the conquest. Its construction marked the start of new building activity across the city following Ottoman consolidation of power.

The prayer hall shows how Byzantine building techniques were adapted to meet new Islamic requirements through its spatial layout. This blend is visible in the way the prayer areas and passages connect within the structure.

Visitors reach the mosque by public transportation to Üsküdar and then walk up Semsi Pasa Street, where solid footwear is recommended because of the slope. Access is easy to find since the structure sits prominently above the waterfront.

The mosque witnessed the conversion of many Greeks to Islam during the early Ottoman period, which is why Greek names appear among the early patrons. This intertwining of cultures in those early years is rarely documented, yet it makes the building a window into a less known era.