Hirka-i Serif Mosque, Ottoman mosque in Fatih, Turkey.
The Hirka-i Serif Mosque is a place of worship in Fatih with an octagonal floor plan and three entrances on each side. The interior is divided into different areas for prayer and the safekeeping of sacred objects.
Sultan Abdulmejid I ordered this building to be constructed between 1847 and 1851 after the surrounding area was cleared. The construction took place during a period when the Ottoman Empire was modernizing its religious structures.
The mosque houses a sacred relic that draws visitors from around the world who come to pay respects. You can sense the spiritual importance of this object as you walk through the prayer halls.
Entering the building requires appropriate dress and removing your shoes in the prayer areas. You should check in advance if there are visiting times separate from the regular prayer times.
The building was designed following the model of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and shares its distinctive octagonal shape. This architectural parallel connects two important sites of Islamic faith.
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