Süleymaniye Mosque

De **Süleymaniye Mosque** (Turkish: *Süleymaniye Camii*, pronounced [sylejˈmaːnije]) be an Ottoman imperial mosque wey locate for de Third Hill of Istanbul, Turkey. Na de mosque be commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent () wey ebe designed by de imperial architect Mimar Sinan. An inscription dey specify de foundation date as 1550 den de inauguration date as 1557, although work for de complex probably continue for a few years after dis. 

De Süleymaniye Mosque be one of de best-known sights of Istanbul den from ein location for de Third Hill e dey command an extensive view of de city around de Golden Horn. Ebe considered a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture den one of Mimar Sinan ein greatest works. Ebe de largest Ottoman-era mosque insyd de city. 

Like oda Ottoman imperial foundations, de mosque be part of a larger *külliye* (religious den charitable complex) wich include madrasas, a public kitchen, den a hospital, among odas. Behind de *qibla* wall of de mosque be an enclosed cemetery wey dey contain de separate octagonal mausoleums of Suleiman the Magnificent den ein wifey Hurrem Sultan (Roxelana).

## History

### Construction

Na Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent choose de architect Mimar Sinan make he create a mosque for memory of ein son Şehzade (Crown Prince) Mehmed. Na Suleiman be so impressed plus de ensuing Şehzade Mosque (Şehzade Cami) wey he biz Sinan make he design a mosque for einself too. Dis mosque go represent de pre-eminence of de Ottoman Empire.

Na dem build de mosque for de site of de old Ottoman palace (*Eski Saray*) wich na dem still use for de time wey na dem for demolish am. De Arabic inscription above de entrance to de prayer hall dey give a foundation date of 1550 den an inauguration date of 1557. For reality, de planning of de mosque begin before 1550 wey na dem no plete de parts of de complex til after 1557. Na dem record de final construction expenses insyd 1559, wey dey relate to sam of de madrasas den to de mausoleum of Suleiman ein wifey, Hürrem Sultan (d. 1558). Na dem build de mausoleum give Suleiman einself after ein death for de orders of ein son den successor, Selim II, between 1566 den 1568.

Na dem reportedly gather den ship marble spolia from various sites insyd Constantinople den oda parts of de empire were reportedly to de construction site. Petrus Gyllius, a contemporary observer, wrep about he see one of de four enormous porphyry columns dem destine for de mosque ein interior dem dey cut down to size den about marble columns dem dey take from de Hippodrome.

For designing de Süleymaniye Mosque, Sinan take inspiration from de Hagia Sophia den de Bayezid II Mosque. Na Suleiman ein intention be make he build a mosque wey go surpass all odas dem build by ein predecessors. Suleiman appear he represent einself for times as a "second Solomon" wey ein construction projects insyd both Jerusalem den Constantinople (Istanbul) appear to reflect dis. Architecturally, Suleiman ein mausoleum (dem build behind de mosque) dey reference de Dome of de Rock, wich ba dem build for de site of de Temple of Solomon insyd Jerusalem. According to popular tradition, na Justinian I boast upon de completion of de Hagia Sophia insyd Constantinople: "*Solomon, I have surpassed thee!*" Suleiman ein mosque, in turn, dey reference de Hagia Sophia insyd ein layout.

### Damages den restorations

Na de Süleymaniye be damaged insyd de great fire of 1660 wey Sultan Mehmed IV restore am. Na part of de dome collapse during de earthquake of 1766. Na repairs damage wat lef of Sinan ein original decoration (na recent cleaning show say he experiment plus blue, before dem make red de dominant colour of de dome).

During World War I na dem use de courtyard as a weapons depot, wey wen sam of de ammunition ignite, de mosque suffer anoda fire. No be til 1956 wey na dem fully restore am. Na dem san restore de mosque between 2007 den 2010. Na dem continue dey restore parts of de surrounding complex insyd de decade wey dey follow.

## Architecture

### Courtyard
Like de oda imperial mosques insyd Istanbul, de entrance to de mosque be preceded by a forecourt plus a central fountain. De main front gate, for de northwest side of de mosque, dey project outward from den above de walls for either side. De entrance portal dey consist of a recess dem cover by a triangular vault dem sculpt plus *muqarnas*, plus slender pilasters for either side. Above de *muqarnas* canopy be an inscription wey dey feature de Sunni version of de *shahada* (profession of faith). De windows for either side of de portal mark de presence of interior rooms wich house de *muvakkithane* (chamber of de timekeeper). 
File:Süleymaniye_Mosque_February_2013_03.jpg|De main entrance to de courtyard (northwest side of de mosque)
File:Courtyard_of_the_Süleymaniye_Mosque_in_Istanbul,_Turkey_001.jpg|Courtyard of de mosque plus central fountain (*şadırvan*), wey dey look towards de entrance
File:Cour_mosquee_Suleymaniye_Istanbul.jpg|Courtyard of de mosque, wey dey look towards de prayer hall
File:Suleymaniye_DSCF3657.jpg|One of de "stalactite" anaa *muqarnas* capitals insyd de courtyard
File:Suleymaniye_DSCF3670.jpg|Insyd de central fountain of de courtyard, wer na dem originally spray water down from de ceiling
File:Suleymaniye_DSCF5994.jpg|De entrance portal to de prayer hall from de courtyard


### Minarets

Four minarets occupy de four corners of de courtyard. De two taller ones get three balconies wey dey rise to a high of 63.8 m (209 ft) widout dema lead caps den 76 m (249 ft) wey dey include de caps. De balconies be supported by consoles dem carve plus *muqarnas* wey dem get balustrades dem carve den pierce plus geometric patterns. 

De use of four minarets for de corners of a mosque courtyard na dem do am previously for de Üç Şerefeli Mosque insyd Edirne, although Sinan introduce a strict symmetry wey no be present insyd de earlier example. Insyd de history of Ottoman architecture, na dem add dis chaw minarets to sam mosques dem endow by a sultan (na princes den princesses fi construct two minarets; odas one per). De minarets get a total of ten balconies, wich dem say e dey reflect de fact dat na Suleiman I be de 10th Ottoman sultan. By dem make de outer minarets shorter dan de inner ones, Sinan sanso increase de overall visual impression of a structure wey dey rise towards de central dome.

### Prayer hall

#### Overall design

De interior of de mosque be almost a square, wey dey measure , wey dey form a single vast space dem dominate by ein central dome. De dome be  high wey e get a diameter of  wich be exactly half de height. De square space directly below dis dome dey occupy exactly half de total area of de prayer hall. De layout dey emulate de dome design of de Hagia Sophia wey e sanso dey follow de layout of de earlier Bayezid II Mosque: de central dome be flanked by semi-domes both in front den behind, wey dey cover de main central space, while a row of smaller den lower domes dey cover each of de two lateral aisles for either side. Between dese smaller domes den de main dome be large tympanas dem fill plus windows. Dis repetition of an older building plan be uncharacteristic of Sinan wey na e fi be de result of Suleiman ein personal wishes.
File:Exterior_of_the_Süleymaniye_Mosque_in_Istanbul,_Turkey_002.jpg|View of de mosque ein exterior (northeast side)
File:Istanbul_Suleymaniye_Mosque_Interior_2015_1312.jpg|Interior of de prayer hall, wey dey look towards de *mihrab*
File:Suleymaniye_Mosque_1319.jpg|View of de semi-domes around de central dome
File:Istanbul_Suleymaniye_Mosque_Interior_Aisle_2015_1302.jpg|One of de side aisles of de mosque
File:Süleymaniye_Mosque_exterior_2017_(3).jpg|One of de arcaded galleries for de mosque ein exterior den de water taps for ablutions


#### Decoration

Dem restrain de interior decoration wey dis seem e be deliberate for Sinan ein part. De documents of de mosque ein *waqf* (religious endowment) explicitly claim say na dem avoid ostentatious ornamentation of gold anaa jewels so say e go conform plus de traditions of de Islamic prophet Muhammad. E be possible say Suleiman den Sinan regard calligraphy as de primary form of decoration, insyd de spirit of a period wen de Ottoman sultan champion a more austere Sunni orthodoxy. De calligraphy of de mosque be almost entirely insyd monumental *thuluth* form wey dem attribute am to Hasan Çelebi, whom Sinan favour.

## Complex

### Mausoleums
Behind de *qibla* wall (southeast wall) of de mosque be an enclosed cemetery wich dey contain de separate mausoleums (*türbe*) of Sultan Suleiman I den ein wifey Hürrem Sultan (Roxelana).
File:İstanbul_5619.jpg|De cemetery behind de mosque
File:Sultan_Süleyman_Türbesi_01.jpg|Mausoleum of Suleiman the Magnificent
File:Tomb_of_Suleiman_DSCF5648.jpg|Detail of Iznik tiles under de portico of Suleiman ein mausoleum
File:Suleymaniye_Mausoleum_Suleyman_mausoleum_1230.jpg|Interior of Suleiman ein mausoleum
File:Mausoleum_of_Roxelana_01.jpg|Mausoleum of Hürrem Sultan (Roxelana)
File:Istanbul_Roxelane_Mausoleum_in_2017_3631.jpg|Interior of Hürrem Sultan ein mausoleum


### Oda buildings

File:Suleymaniye_Hamam_DSCF5503.jpg|Exterior of de Süleymaniye Hamam (bathhouse)
File:Suleymaniye_kulliyesi_medrese_i_salis_11_05_30_810000.jpeg|De sloped courtyard of de Salis Medrese, one of de four madrasas of de complex
File:Mimar_Sinan_tomb_February_2013.jpg|Tomb of Mimar Sinan
File:Istanbul_Süleymaniye_complex_Tabhane_-_guesthouse_3778.jpg|Interior of de *tabhane* anaa caravanserai (guesthouse)
File:Istanbul_Süleymaniye_complex_Imaret_in_2009_7056.jpg|Interior of de *imaret* (public kitchen)
File:Suleymaniye_complex_DSCF3770.jpg|Back side of de *darüşşifa* (hospital), plus de substructure visible below
File:Süleymaniye5.jpg|De Evvel Medrese, as dem see from de market street for ein east side. De domed chamber for de left corner be part of de *mekteb* (primary school).


## Burials

* Suleiman I (1494–1566)
* Hürrem Sultan (c. 1502–1558), Suleiman ein wifey
* Mihrimah Sultan (c. 1522–1578) Suleiman den Hürrem ein daughter
* Ahmed II (1642/43–1695)
* Rabia Sultan (d. 1712) Ahmed's consort
* Asiye Sultan (1694–1695), Ahmed den Rabia dema daughter
* Suleiman II (1642–1691)
* Aşub Sultan (d. 1690) Suleiman ein mommie

## References


## Sources

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## Read further

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## External links

* Süleymaniye Külliyesi, Archnet
* Süleymaniye Mosque ve Mimar Sinan (insyd Turkish)
*  Suleymaniye Mosque Virtual Walking Tour, Saudi Aramco World.
* Photographs by Dick Osseman