Mosque

Yavuz Sultan Selim Mosque

It is estimated that the double bath and caravanserai within the complex were built by Mimar Sinan, but they do not exist today.
The fountain with eight columns and a pointed dome in the courtyard was built by Murad IV.
The Baroque decorations and hand-carved ornaments of the Sultan’s Lodge inside the mosque were discovered during restorations in 1937.

The structure was built of cut limestone of classical Ottoman architecture. The mosque is remarkable for its single dome that can be seen from the Golden Horn and Çarşamba neighborhood, two minarets with one balcony, an inner courtyard with a fountain and guesthouses. The harmonious use of red and white stones on the doors and window arches in the courtyard is eye-catching.
The mosque door is decorated with rich muqarnas (stalactites). There is a three-line inscription written in Thuluth Jeli script on the door arch. The door wings are one of the most beautiful examples of woodwork using the Kundekari technique.
The Harim has a square plan and its dome creates the feeling of a large space. The mihrab is surrounded by a simple frame and is detailed with ornaments such as elegant hourglasses and the Bursa belt.
The tomb of Selim I has an octagonal plan and a segmented dome and is on the qibla side of the mosque. Inside, there is a coffin with his robe, covered with mud spattered from Kemalpaşazade’s horse’s feet.
The tomb of Hafsa Sultan, the mother of Suleiman the Magnificent, is next to the tomb of Yavuz Sultan Selim. The construction date of the tomb is unknown.