The Süleymaniye Mosque (Turkish: Süleymaniye Camii, pronounced [sylejˈmaːnije]) is a grand Ottoman imperial mosque situated on Istanbul’s Third Hill. Commissioned by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (r. 1520–1566), the mosque was designed by the renowned imperial architect Mimar Sinan. According to an inscription, construction began in 1550 and the mosque was officially inaugurated in 1557, though work on the surrounding complex likely continued for several more years.
Perched above the Golden Horn, the Süleymaniye Mosque offers sweeping views of Istanbul and remains one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. It is widely regarded as a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture and is considered one of Mimar Sinan’s greatest achievements. It is also the largest mosque built during the Ottoman period in Istanbul.
Like many other imperial Ottoman mosques, the Süleymaniye is part of a larger külliye—a religious and charitable complex that once included madrasas (Islamic schools), a public kitchen, a hospital, and more. Behind the mosque’s qibla wall lies a serene cemetery, home to two notable octagonal mausoleums: one for Suleiman the Magnificent and another for his wife, Hurrem Sultan (also known as Roxelana).
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