People in the Tomb
Ayşe Hafsa Sultan was born in Bakhchysarai, Crimea, and was the daughter of the Crimean Khan Mengli Giray. She married Sultan Selim I during his years as a prince and gave birth to her son, Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, in Trabzon in 1494. When her son ascended the throne, she settled in Topkapı Palace with the title “Valide Sultan.” She is regarded as the first de facto Valide Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.
Known for her philanthropy, Hafsa Sultan commissioned a large complex in Manisa consisting of a mosque, madrasa, hospital, and bathhouse, and endowed her properties in Manisa and Menteşe to provide income for this complex.
Ayşe Hafsa Sultan fell ill with an unidentified disease and was cured thanks to the mesir paste prepared by Merkez Efendi, who served at the time as chief physician of the Manisa Sultan Mosque Madrasa.
The Mesir Paste Festival, which continues today, is still held at the Manisa Sultan Mosque.
Şah Sultan, whose exact date of birth has not been determined, was the daughter of Sultan Selim I and Ayşe Hafsa Hatun, and the sister of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. She spent her childhood in Manisa with her brother Sultan Süleyman and received a strict palace education there.
During her years in Manisa, she developed an interest in Sufism and became affiliated with the Sünbülî branch of the Halvetiye order. She became a disciple of Merkez Efendi, the renowned Sufi and medical scholar of the period.
Şah Sultan, who was married for a time to Grand Vizier Lütfi Pasha, died in 1572.
About the Mausoleum
- Year Built
- Commissioned By
- Architect
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Featured Highlights
The tomb was first built with an octagonal plan and a blind dome.
On its façade there is a portico with a flat lintel and broad eaves, resting on four columns.
The transition to the dome is provided by an octagonal drum.
The tomb was completely destroyed in the earthquake of 1894. Its reconstruction began before the Constitutional Period but remained unfinished.
It acquired its present form after an extensive restoration in 2018.
