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Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Tomb

Audio Narration:

Persons in the Tomb:

Kanuni Sultan Süleyman

Birth / Death: 1495 – 1566
Title: 10th Ottoman Sultan
About: Süleyman, the only son of Yavuz Sultan Selim, ascended the throne in 1520 and led the Ottoman Empire to its peak in territory, influence, and culture during his 46-year reign. He conquered Belgrade (1521) and Rhodes (1522), opened Central Europe with the Battle of Mohács (1526), and reached the gates of Vienna in 1529 and 1532. In the east, he captured Baghdad and Basra during the Iraq Campaign (1534-35), reaching the Persian Gulf and sent fleets to the Indian Ocean. Under the leadership of Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha, he secured dominance in the Mediterranean, achieving naval victories like Preveza (1538) and the conquest of Algiers. His codifications earned him the epithet 'Kanuni' (Lawgiver), standardizing land, tax, and criminal laws. He initiated an architectural golden age with works such as the Süleymaniye Complex and Tophane Kılıç Ali Pasha Mosque. His marriage to Hürrem Sultan and the execution of Şehzade Mustafa deeply affected palace politics. He died during the Siege of Szigetvár in 1566 and was buried in the Süleymaniye Mosque complex in Istanbul. Kanuni symbolizes the zenith of classical Ottoman civilization through his military expansions, legal reforms, and cultural achievements.

II. Süleyman

Birth/Death: 1642-1691
Title: 20th Ottoman Sultan
About: Held in confinement for nearly forty years before ascending the throne after the Vienna defeat and an uprising in Istanbul. His reign was marked by janissary unrest and military reform under Köprülüzâde Fazıl Mustafa Pasha. Though short, his reign saw successes such as the recapture of Niş and Belgrade. He died of edema during a campaign journey.

II. Ahmed

Birth/Death: 1643-1695
Title: 21st Ottoman Sultan
About: Ascended the throne after his brother II. Süleyman's death. Faced wars with Austria and Poland, internal unrest, and devastating fires in Istanbul. He supported the arts and initiated administrative reforms. Died of edema in Edirne and was buried beside Kanuni.

Location of the Tomb:
Fatih, İstanbul
About the Tomb:

Construction Year: 1566

Ordered by: II. Selim

Architect: Mimar Sinan

Prominent Features:

  • The octagonal structure features beveled corners and refined stonework on the exterior.
  • The spacious portico is supported by 29 marble columns with baklava-shaped capitals and Bursa-style railings.
  • The double-shell lead-covered dome is adorned with calligraphy, tilework, and painted decorations on the interior.
  • The entrance door features inlaid mother-of-pearl and ivory, while inside are ebony cabinets with ivory inlay.
  • Above the door is a piece of the sacred Black Stone (Hacerü’l-Esved), set in the shape of a Mevlevi dervish cap.
  • The central sarcophagus belongs to Kanuni Sultan Süleyman. Others buried here include his grandchildren Sultan II. Süleyman and Sultan II. Ahmed; his daughter Mihrimah Sultan; Saliha Dilâşûb Sultan (mother of II. Süleyman); Râbiâ Sultan (wife of II. Ahmed); and Asiye Sultan (daughter of II. Ahmed).
  • The tomb is part of the Süleymaniye Mosque Complex and was intentionally placed near the mosque’s mihrab at the sultan’s request.
Route
Hatice Turhan Valide Sultan Tomb
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