Mihrimah Sultan Mosque (İskele Mosque)
- Changes after its construction
- Over time, the soup kitchen, the inn, the pavilion and the timing room (muvakkithane) of the building were destroyed; the bathhouse and the inn were demolished in 1936 and modern structures were built in their place.
- In 1831, a tughra belonging to Sultan Mahmud II was placed on the face stone of the fountain.
- The mosque has been repaired at various periods and some parts of the complex have changed function.
- Prominent features
- The rectangular planned building known as the Iskele Mosque has a ten-meter main dome supported by half domes on three sides; there is no half dome on the front facade.
- Its two minarets have a single balcony, and the mosque’s high ceilings, muqarnas mihrab and marble minbar reflect classical Ottoman architecture.
- A second narthex and a 20-sided marble fountain surrounding the mosque provide protection against the wind from the sea side.
- Due to the location of the building, the sunrise and moonrise can be watched between the minarets of the mosque, especially in the months of April and May. This feature gives a symbolic function appropriate to the meaning of Mihrimah (“Sun and Moon”).
- The complex, which draws attention with its madrasah, primary school, caravanserai, tomb and fountains, also reflects Mimar Sinan’s urban planning skills with its impressive panoramic view of the Bosphorus.
