Sinanpaşa Mosque

Audio Narration

Construction Years:

1579-80

Location:

Beyoğlu, İstanbul

Ordered by:

Sinan Pasha, the conqueror of Yemen

Architect:

Unknown

- Changes the building has undergone since its construction
  • The mosque fell into disrepair due to neglect and was out of use for a while. It was renovated by the residents of the neighborhood in 1959 and reopened for worship in its current form.
  • The minaret on the right side of the entrance and the architectural details of the structure have undergone various renovations over time.
  • In 1970, its roof was opened and covered with three domes, and in 1984, its plasters were scraped off, the domes were converted into roofs, and it was restored to its original state, and a wooden-posted narthex was added.
  • A fountain similar to the one that was previously in the courtyard was built between 2012 and 2013.
- Prominent features of the mosque
  • It is a rectangular structure with plenty of light. The women’s section and the narthex attract attention with their fine details.
  • The structure, located on sloping land, has monumental doors opening to two separate streets and is surrounded by stairs reaching its courtyard.
  • The outer walls are built with stone and bricks in rows and have a lead-coated wooden roof. The wall in the direction of the qibla is supported by three arches, thus providing resistance against deformations that may arise from the slope.
  • There is a fountain with a decagonal plan, a marble body and a lead-coated fountain in its courtyard. An octagonal planned, solid-walled, lead-coated and wooden-roofed tomb belonging to Sheikh Hamdi Effendi and his family from the Qadiri order is also located in the same courtyard.
  • The narthex with high ceilings surrounded by wooden columns and the women’s section are adorned with elegant details, and the column and arch connections in these areas present examples of fine architectural workmanship.