Hotels near Suleymaniye Mosque

The Suleymaniye Mosque is widely considered the finest work of Mimar Sinan, the greatest architect of the Ottoman Empire, and many regard it as the most beautiful mosque in Istanbul. Commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent and completed in 1557, the complex includes not just the mosque but a hospital, several madrasas (theological schools), a hamam (bath), a caravanserai, and the tombs of Suleiman and his wife Hurrem Sultan (Roxelana).

The interior is a masterclass in harmonious proportion - the central dome (53 metres high, 26.5 metres across) creates a sensation of weightless space amplified by over 200 stained-glass windows, including originals by the famed craftsman Ibrahim the Drunkard. The mosque garden terrace offers sweeping views over the Golden Horn to Galata. Unlike Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, Suleymaniye sees relatively few tour groups, giving it a contemplative atmosphere that the more famous mosques lack. Entry is free.

Pro Tip: Walk through the mosque garden to the terrace wall for one of the best panoramic views in Istanbul - the Golden Horn, Galata Tower, and the Bosphorus in a single frame. After your visit, eat at the nearby Ali Baba Restaurant or Kuru Fasulye for Ottoman-style beans - a local institution since the 1920s. Sinan's own modest tomb is in the northeast corner of the complex.