Changes After Construction
The mosque, which has undergone many changes over time, was reorganized by Sultan Mahmud II in 1810-1811, within this scope, the narthex was renovated and the existing minaret was demolished and two new minarets were added.
The mosque, which underwent a major restoration in 1969, lost its wooden dome in a fire that broke out in the adjacent Ismail Pasha Mansion in 1983; it was restored by the Directorate General of Foundations in the same year and reopened for worship on May 29, 1983.
Last undergoing extensive restoration in 2014, the mosque, also known as the Beylerbeyi Mosque, is still in operation today and is considered one of the finest examples of waterside mosques in Istanbul with its elegant architecture.
Featured Highlights
It has a Baroque style design with a central single dome sitting on an octagonal base. The main area is covered with one full and five half domes sitting on two drums.
The interior, illuminated by 55 windows, features hand-drawn works, Ottoman and European tiles. On the dome drum is a band of "Esmâ-i Hüsnâ" (en: "The Beautiful Names", 99 names of God in Islamic tradition) written by Yesarizade in Jeli Thuluth.
The mosque, which has two minarets with a single balcony, has additional building units such as the Sultan's quarters, the timing room (muvakkithane) and a fountain with four facades on the sea shore.
