Sulaymaniyah Mosque

The Sulaymaniyah Mosque, or the Suleyman Al-qanuniu Mosque, is one of the largest and most famous Turkish mosques in the Islamic world. The Sulaymaniyah Mosque is a very beautiful architectural painting, similar to Hagia Sophia in terms of building and Ottoman architecture.

Sulaymaniyah Mosque... the destination of tourism in Turkey

Where is Sulaymaniyah Mosque located in Turkey?

The Sulaymaniyah Mosque is located in the Aminönü in Istanbul on a hill of the seven hills of Istanbul overlooking the Gulf and the Bosphorus Strait near the Egyptian market and Gulhane Park.

The history of Sulaymaniyah Mosque

The Sulaymaniyah Mosque was built by order of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman Al-qanuniu between the years 1551-1558, under the supervision of the famous architect Sinan. 

The mosque has in it the tomb of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman Al-qanuniu, which is adorned with original diamonds placed inside an iron plate so that it appears as a starry sky, the wife of Sultan Suleiman Al-qanuniu Sultan Roxlana and a tomb the architect Sinan.

The Sulaymaniyah Mosque is considered one of the most famous artefacts and unique designs of the architect Sinan who summoned the most famous craftsmen and architects from all over the Ottoman Empire to construct the Sultan Suleiman Mosque. 

Sultan Suleiman Al-qanuniu provided all kinds of assistance and supplies available, including opening the doors of his treasury in order to construct this wonderful edifice, Where the mosque was built with the use of carved stone and fiery stone and sandstone.

The Sulaymaniyah Mosque was designed with simple motifs and patterns where the polished Turkish tiles were used to form an umbrella consisting of seven colours and plant motifs of flowers and trees such as cloves, tulips, violets and cypress trees.

As for the mosque square from the inside, there are carvings at the top of it that tell the history of the mosque. The mosque's square is furnished with alabaster panels, mediated by a fountain of ablution, sculpted in a wonderful artistic design. the square Surrounds   side path topped by 28 domes, supported by columns, and connected by small arches. 

You can enter the prayer hall from the side entrances. One of those entrances was dedicated to Sultan Suleiman Al-qanuniu. The main dome of the mosque stands in the middle of the prayer hall with a height of 53 meters and a width of about 27 meters. It is a huge dome cantered on four columns, extending around the main 6 domes in addition to four small domes above the chapel.

As for the mihrab and the tribune of al-Khatib, it was made of engraved alabaster where the corners of the mihrab were engraved, and they were engraved with golden leaves in addition to tribune of the preacher made of carved wood. 

A booth was also built for the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent on marble columns surrounded by domes of alabaster engraved with beautiful decorations, and a seat of alabaster was dedicated to the muezzin

A cabin also built for the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman Al-qanuniu on marble columns surrounded by domes of alabaster engraved with beautiful decorations, and a seat of alabaster was made to the muezzin.

The mosque contains four minarets that rise in the corners of its inner courtyard, which symbolize Sultan Suleiman Al-qanuniu as the fourth Sultan who took the rule after the conquest of Istanbul. The two minarets on the part of the prayer halls each one has three balconies, while the other two minarets have two balconies, to become ten balconies, which symbolizes the arrangement of Sultan Suleiman in the series of Ottoman Sultans.

The Sulaymaniyah Mosque was provided with a very accurate ventilation system where it was equipped with special outlets that open in and out in order to purify the air in addition to small openings under the dome in different directions where a stream is formed that attracts black smoke from the oil lamps that illuminate the mosque, so that the black smoke collects in one point which is The room above the mosque gate, where this smoke was used in the manufacture of ink for calligraphers during the days of the Ottoman states.

Like the other Ottoman mosques, the Sulaymaniyah Mosque contains urban complexes and it is the largest after the Al-Fateh Mosque. The mosque consists of a cemetery and four schools, a hospital, a hotel, bathrooms, a Quranic school and shops. There are also green areas inside the complex that increase its beauty, and the University of Istanbul is located next to it.

There are also green areas inside the complex that increase its beauty, and the University of Istanbul is located next to it.