Süleymaniye Mosque

What makes it special

The prayer hall is the reason to come. It is an almost square room under one central dome, 53 metres high, and its plain interior lets the light do the work. Look for the four great columns carrying the dome, which Sinan likened to the Four Caliphs.

Sinan built it for Süleyman the Magnificent, and the Arabic inscription above the prayer-hall door gives 1550 for its foundation and 1557 for its inauguration. If you see Hagia Sophia on the same day, compare the two domes: the plan here follows its design.

Count the minarets from the courtyard before you go in. There are four, a number kept for mosques a sultan commissioned, with ten balconies between them. The outer pair are shorter than the inner pair, so the whole building seems to climb towards the dome.

Three details are easy to miss. Sinan set resonating jars into the walls to carry sound, and routed soot from the oil lamps into one chamber above the entrance, where it was gathered and made into ink. The İznik tiles here were also the first to carry a bright tomato red under the glaze.

Visiting

Crossing the inner courtyard comes first: a marble court ringed by 28 domed porticoes, with the ablution fountain at its centre. At the prayer-hall door, take off your shoes and carry them inside in a bag. Dress modestly: men wear long trousers, and women cover their hair, with scarves lent free at the entrance.

After the prayer hall, walk round behind the mosque to the walled cemetery. There the octagonal tomb of Süleyman stands beside the smaller tomb of his wife Hürrem Sultan, both lined with İznik tiles. The tombs usually open the same hours as the mosque, and they are free too.

Finish at the terrace with the view. Below lie the Golden Horn and the Galata Bridge, with Galata Tower opposite and, on a clear day, the Bosphorus beyond. Sinan's own small tomb, which he designed himself, stands just outside the north corner of the complex.

Guided or on your own

There is no official audio guide. Hire a private guide if you want the calligraphy read to you, Sinan's engineering explained and the stories of Süleyman told as you walk. English signs inside give the basics, and the dome, the tombs and the view make sense on sight.

Tips

There are no lockers for large bags, so leave yours at your hotel. Anyone selling tickets outside is running a scam, because entry needs none.

Carry some change for the toilets, which are outside in the complex and usually charge.