Şehzade Mosque

Audio Narration

Construction Year:

1543-1548

Location:

Fatih, İstanbul

Ordered by:

Suleiman the Magnificent (in the name of his son Prince Mehmed)

Architect:

Mimar Sinan

- Changes after its construction
  • It was damaged in the fires of 1613 and 1633; the dome of the fountain was renovated during the reign of Murad IV.
  • The wooden parts were completely burned in the fires of 1718 and 1782; partial repairs were made in 1916 and 1953.
  • The complex underwent extensive restoration between 1994 and 1999.
- Prominent features
  • It is also known as the Şehzadebaşı Mosque.
  • Şehzade Mosque is the first Imperial Complex of Mimar Sinan. The central dome rises on four large columns and is supported by four half domes.
  • The mosque has a square plan and a large dome. The Sultan’s Lodge in the Harim, the women’s gallery surrounded by a wooden cage and the Muezzin’s lodge with 8 columns are meticulously crafted.
  • The mosque is entered through three main doors; the inscription on the main door reads “Mabed-i Ummet-i Resûl-i Mûbin – year 955” (“Temple of the Nation of the Explicit Prophet”).
  • The mosque courtyard is surrounded by 12-columned, 16-domed porticos. The fountain in the middle of the courtyard draws attention with its elegant workmanship.
  • It has two minarets with two balconies. The minarets are crafted with fine details and are successfully integrated into the mass.
  • Şehzade Mosque is considered one of the works of Mimar Sinan’s “apprenticeship period” and is an important example of symmetrical planning and central dome structure in Ottoman architecture.