The Blue Mosque in Istanbul is the Turkish Taj Mahal. Marmara Region of Turkey

Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Istanbul, Turkey)

Istanbul, Turkey
Construction time: 1609-1616

Description

Suleymaniye Mosque (Istanbul, Turkey)

Istanbul, Turkey
Construction time: 1550-1557

Description

Rustem Pasha Mosque (Istanbul, Turkey)

Istanbul, Turkey
Construction time: 1561

Description

Selimiye Mosque (Edirne, Turkey)

Edirne, Turkey
Construction time: 1569-1575

Description

Shehzade Mosque (Istanbul, Turkey)

Istanbul, Turkey
Construction time: 1542-1548

Description

Hagia Sophia Mosque (Hagia Sophia)

Hagia Sophia (Istanbul, Turkey)

Istanbul(former Constantinople), Turkey

Description

Sabanchi Mosque (Sabanci)

Sabanci Central Mosque (Adana, Turkey)

Adana, Turkey
Construction time 1998-1999

Description

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It was here that Constantinople was founded, and now the main attractions of the Turkish capital are located.
The noisy and spacious Sultanahmet Square is always filled with tourists and street vendors. It can be called a starting point for many routes and walks, as well as a concentration of important cultural and historical sites.
The cathedral Hagia Sophia (AI Sophia) and are located opposite each other, a little further is the Topkapi Palace, and on the other side of the square lies the underground basilica Cistern.
Once upon a time most The square was occupied by the ancient Roman hippodrome. Now it is almost entirely underground, and it cannot be seen, except for individual fragments.
The construction of the hippodrome began at the end of the 2nd century, and ended in the 4th century under Constantine the Great in the 4th century.
The huge and magnificent building intervened 100 thousand spectators and competed with the Roman circus. The dividing line was decorated with monuments brought from all over the world.
Hippodrome played important role during the Roman Empire, but lost its importance under the Byzantines. In 1204, the crusaders who broke into Constantinople destroyed the hippodrome. The bronze quadriga was taken to Venice, decorating St. Mark's Cathedral with it.
In 1453, the Ottomans found ruins at the site of the hippodrome, but it was the center of the city, so construction began, residential buildings grew, and later - Blue Mosque. At the same time, the level of the soil rose, leaving the ancient hippodrome under a layer of earth.

Saint Sophie Cathedral

Hagia Sophia (Hagia Sophia) was the largest Byzantine church in Christian world(before the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome).

The first temple on this site was erected in 360 under Emperor Constantine, calling it the "Great Church"
But in 404 the cathedral was destroyed during fires set by rebels because of the execution of Bishop John Chrysostom.
In 405, the construction of a new temple began, which lasted 11 years.
But also new church was burnt down during the Nika rebellion along with the imperial palace and neighboring buildings in 532.
Emperor Justinian crushed the Nike uprising and rebuilt hagia sophia in the form in which the temple has survived to this day.
hagia sophia erected by the best architects of that time, among them Isidore of Miletus and Anfimiya from Tralles. Construction began in 532 and completed 5 years later. The marble for the basilica was brought from Anatolia and Mediterranean cities.
After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, Sultan Fatih Mehmed the Conqueror converted the temple into a mosque, adding a minaret. The frescoes and mosaics were covered with plaster, curtains and wood panelling.
In the middle of the 16th century, the architect Sinan strengthened the support of the main building and added Islamic elements.
After the founding of the Turkish Republic, restoration work, and in 1935, at the direction of Ataturk, the temple was opened as a museum.
The length is 100 meters, the width reaches 70 meters. The basilica is crowned by a gigantic dome system. The dome, 55.6 m high, is considered one of the most perfect in Turkey and is listed in the top five highest domes in the world.
The magnificent mosaics of Hagia Sophia date back to the middle of the 9th - the end of the 10th centuries.

At the entrance to the building, at a depth of 2 meters, you can see steps that served as monumental entrances to the second church, columns, capitals and friezes.

Impressive and majestic Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) is the main work of classical Turkish-Islamic architecture.

The construction of the mosque began in 1609 by order of the 19-year-old Sultan Ahmed I. The architect was Mehmed Aga, a student of the great Sinan. built for seven years.
It got its name due to the interior, which is decorated with blue tiles. This blue tile is an expensive piece of art that will take your breath away.

It is unusual that in blue mosque six minarets were built: four, as usual, are located on the sides, and two less high ones are located on the outer corners of the courtyard. The legend tells that the Sultan ordered the construction of a mosque with golden minarets. ("altyn" in Turkish), but the architect, knowing that this was impossible, pretended not to have heard and built six "Alty" minarets.
is the largest in area Istanbul.

Entrance to the mosque is free, but you have to be prepared for a long queue.
At the entrance, you should take off your shoes, women should cover their heads with a scarf.

Behind the mosque is a picturesque Arasta market where you can buy Turkish souvenirs, carpets, stones, jewelry. The market is a favorite place for tourists, the prices here are quite high, but the covered rows are adapted for pleasant walks.

Arasta Market.

It is worth stopping by the Meșala cafe at the beginning of the market, the guide will say that this is a tourist place, but here you can relax after long walks, smoke a hookah, and in the evening listen to live music or watch a performance of dervishes.

Visitors to the Arasta market.

Visitors to the Arasta market.

Be sure to order Turkish tea (“tea” in Turkish is pronounced “chai”), dark and strong, it is served in tulip-shaped glass cups.

Or coffee brewed in Turkish with added sugar and coffee grounds occupying a good half of the cup.
Of the more unusual things worth a try muhallebi- a traditional Turkish drink, milk jelly on rice flour.
Or salep- a hot drink made from powdered orchids (salep) with the addition of milk or water, sugar and spices.

Salep seller

Returning to Sultanahmed Square, find the ice cream stand. Turkish ice cream dondurma- thick and elastic, it is made from salep - dried orchid tubers.

Do not pass by the Turkish bagel, generously sprinkled with sesame seeds. He is called simit and sell at every turn. It's amazing why the Turks love him so much!

Attractive green dome German fountain. It was built in Germany and shipped to Istanbul parts along the Danube. It was assembled at this place in 1901. The fountain, decorated with golden mosaics, was a gift from the Chancellor of the German Empire Wilhelm II for Abdul Hamid during his visit to Istanbul. At that time, Germany and Turkey were on close friendly terms.
The fountain is unusual in that its shape resembles religious fountains rather than urban ones.

German fountain.

Heading towards the Topkany Palace, next to the Sultan's Gate, one cannot fail to notice the magnificent monumental Ahmed III fountain, which is a prime example of Turkish and Ottoman Rococo architecture. The fountain was built by Ahmed Aga - main architector courtyard in the 18th century.

Fountain of Ahmed III.

The next attraction of Sultanakhmet - Topkapi Palace (Topkapi Sarayi)- the ancient residence of the Ottoman sultans. A huge palace complex striking in its rich collection.
Topkapi Palace was built in 1465 during the reign of Mehmed the Conqueror. The palace was abandoned in 1853 due to the fact that it was difficult to heat it. The Sultan's residence moved to Dolmabahce Palace.
Topkapi Palace- the largest and oldest of all the imperial palaces that have survived to this day. Its original area was 700 thousand square meters. It housed not only the residence of the Sultan with a harem, but also the administrative headquarters of the Ottoman Empire.

Entering the palace through the gates of the Sultan, we find ourselves in the first courtyard. It housed the guards, the royal treasury, an arsenal and warehouses.
To the left of the entrance is Church of St. Irene, or "Sacred Peace"- This is the first known Byzantine church, erected by Constantine in 330. The church is closed to the public, it can only be accessed from a special tour.

From the first courtyard we pass to the middle one. On the right side were the Sultan's kitchens, where about 100 cooks worked. Silver cutlery and utensils are now on display here.

Tower of Justice. Topkapi Palace.

Left - harem, a completely separate story of the Topkapi Palace. Harem means forbidden place. Outsiders, especially men, were not allowed here. The Topkapi Palace Harem Complex consists of 400 rooms, these are living rooms, kitchens, toilets, hospitals, bathrooms, bound friend with other passages and corridors, forming a labyrinth.
The most a large room belonged to the Sultan's mother (Valide Sultan). In the rooms a little smaller lived the wives who gave birth to the Sultan's son.
Once thousands of people lived here, more than half were women, as well as their children and eunuchs.

Many of the rooms and chambers were designed by the Ottoman Michelangelo-architect Sinan. The harem was decorated in an Ottoman style based on the Italian Baroque.

Topkapi Palace.

Topkapi Palace.

Topkapi Palace.

Topkapi Palace.

After the harem we will go to the third courtyard. Here are the pavilions of the palace and other luxurious halls - a library, reception halls, etc. In 1536, 580 craftsmen worked in the palace: jewelers, engravers, gold chasers, seamstresses, amber craftsmen and others. Samples of their work are presented not only in the museum, passages, walls, furniture, ceilings and floors are decorated with their inlays and mosaics.
The treasury of the palace is magnificent, where unique decorations and jewels are stored. Among them is the most famous Kasikchi diamond of 86 carats, i.e. about the size of a palm. It is considered one of the largest diamonds in the world. The legend tells of a poor man who found a diamond on the street and exchanged it for three spoons. "Kashikchi" is Turkish for a spoon-maker. As well as a golden throne weighing 250 kg.

Topkapi Palace.

An important attraction of Sultanahmet is the Basilica Cistern, which is an ancient underground reservoir.
From the day of its founding, Istanbul did not have its own water resources, so the supply was carried out with the help of aqueducts, through which water went to the city, where it was collected in reservoirs. The most famous aqueduct that has survived to this day is the Valens or Bozdugan aqueduct.
During Byzantine times, there were many cisterns for collecting water, but the largest and most famous was basilica cistern. It is said that she supplied water to the imperial palace.
was built in 532 under Emperor Justinian.
But after the collapse Byzantine Empire it was abandoned because the Turks preferred running water. Years later, local residents discovered that under their houses there was a huge reservoir of fresh water that you can drink, as well as replenish your home stocks of fish, which was found in abundance in an underground reservoir.
The Turks call the cistern the "flooded palace". Indeed, the underground structure is striking in scope and grandiosity of size.
The area of ​​the cistern is more than 9 thousand square meters, but only a small part is open for tourist visits.
The dark room is illuminated with a dim red light, 336 Corinthian and Ionian columns are reflected in the water, the sound of falling drops creates a mystical atmosphere.

Of all the columns, two stand out - their lower parts are decorated with the inverted heads of the mythical Medusa. Thus, Emperor Justinian showed that pagan gods unable to help themselves.

The Basilica Cistern was the largest Roman reservoir in the city. In the event of a breakdown of the aqueduct, it could supply water for several months. Currently, the cistern is 8 meters below ground level, but nothing threatens the houses built above the reservoir. The fact is that Istanbul is located on seven hills, and such structures were built in natural recesses created by the terrain, strengthening them with columns and arches. It remains to look at Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, which is called the small Hagia Sophia.
This is one of the oldest churches in Istanbul, built from 1527 to 565. It was erected next to the house of Emperor Justinian, where he spent his young years. The church, founded several years earlier than the Hagia Sophia, served as its prototype.
After the fall of Constantinople, the church continued to operate, but in 1506 the church was partially destroyed and converted into a mosque. A minaret was added in 1762.

Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus.

In Sultanahmet, there are many restaurants with Turkish cuisine, since the prices in them do not fluctuate much, you can choose any one to your taste.
Several restaurants have an outdoor panoramic rooftop terrace with breathtaking views.

Going on a tourist trip to Turkey, the mosques of Istanbul must be included in the list of attractions in Turkey and attractions in Istanbul separately. Of course, you won’t be able to see all of them: the total number of mosques in Turkey reaches almost three thousand. However, we strongly recommend visiting the 5 largest and most famous mosques.

So, the Suleymaniye Mosque, located on the territory of the largest Grand Bazaar in Turkey, is a memory of the reign of Sultan Suleiman the first and his wife Roksolana. This mosque was built in the 14th century by order of the Sultan. It is known that although huge sums were spent on the construction, it was still too slow, which greatly upset the Sultan. This mosque is the best creation of the Turkish architect Siman. There are legends that due to the protracted construction, the relationship between the Sultan and the architect was difficult. The interior of the Suleymaniye Mosque is truly colossal in size, and on its walls are engraved sayings from the Koran and all kinds of ornaments. The inner courtyard is lined with marble slabs, while giant cypress trees grow in the outer courtyard. Four minarets rise in the corners: such an idea was implemented for the first time.

Another unsurpassed building is the Blue Mosque. Work on its construction began when Sultan Ahmed first reached adolescence. And a year before his death, construction was completed. The mosque is known for its large number of ceramic tiles. blue color that were used in construction. The dome of the mosque has a height of 43 meters and is decorated with sayings taken from the Koran. The floor inside is covered with carpets, and the light penetrates through a huge number of windows. Like in Mecca this mosque has six minarets, which caused problems in the historical times of construction, since, according to the idea, the number of minarets should not exceed four. O

Hagia Sophia Mosque (Hagia Sophia)

Hagia Sophia Mosque (Hagia Sophia) is located directly opposite the Blue Mosque. Initially, this building was Orthodox character. It survived all sorts of reconstructions: in the end, four minarets were added to it, which automatically made it a mosque. The Hagia Sophia Mosque has a magnificent interior decoration: mosaics, paintings, murals. All decorations look elegant and majestic.

Mihrimah Sultan Mosque is a symbol medieval architecture. Some call it a mosque pierced by the sun from behind a large number windows. Some of them have stained glass windows. Once inside, many have a feeling of airiness and lightness: there is not a single supporting column inside, unlike many other mosques. There is an unusual legend that says that the architect was in love with Princess Mihrimah, who has golden hair. The only graceful and thin minaret of the mosque is a symbol of unrequited love.

View of the Blue Mosque.

What is interesting about the Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque, or Sultanahmet, is located on the main historical square, opposite the cathedral. Both names are not accidental. Most tourists who have seen the complex from the outside are perplexed. Why Blue if it looks grey? To understand this, you need to be inside. The halls are decorated with 20,000 white and blue ceramic tiles.

The second name is given in honor of Ahmed I. He never managed to win the wars with Persia and Hungary. A series of popular and military uprisings did not stop in the country. To leave a mark on history, the young lord gave the order to start a grandiose construction. And he did it on time. A year after the completion of the work, the Turkish ruler died.

View of the mosques from the Bosphorus.

What else attracts tourists to this place? First of all, grandeur. The building can accommodate almost 10,000 people. The height of the dome is 43 m. And the diameter is 23. It is not surprising that everyone here feels great higher powers and its insignificance. Another feature is the minarets of the Blue Mosque. There are as many as 6 of them. In one of them, a carpet museum is now open.

An outstanding example of Byzantine and Islamic architecture was built by Sedefkar Mehmet Aga. A student of one of the most prominent architects of the Ottoman Empire, who decided to outshine his mentor. The builders used tons of granite and sandstone. The walls are decorated with unique ceramics and ornaments.

Everyone should visit this place. Even people who are far from religion. After all, this is a real work of art. A majestic building that will take your breath away.

Blue Mosque in detail.

Photographer exumo

Story

The history of the Blue Mosque began in 1609 due to a combination of not the most favorable circumstances. A series of defeats in major wars and unrest in the state led to the undermining of Turkey's international authority. In addition, over the past 40 years, not a single ruler has built such structures in the city. In order to propitiate Allah and perpetuate his name, Ahmed ordered the construction of a grand structure in terms of its arrangement and decoration.

The choice of the place where the Blue Mosque is located was taken seriously. The building was decided to be built opposite the Hagia Sophia. First, to surpass the splendor of the temple. Secondly, due to proximity to . This place had symbolic meaning. The complex, built on the ruins of the hippodrome and the imperial palace, rises above the city from the south, reminiscent of the greatness of Turkey.

More than 1,500 people were involved in the work. And they were led by the assistant of the great Sinan, who built Suleymaniye and Shehzade. A detailed description of the seven years of construction is immortalized in 6 volumes of manuscripts, which are now stored in Topkapi. To decorate the Blue Mosque inside, they used:

• about 20 thousand tiles;
• handmade silk carpets;
• hundreds of lamps;
• Venetian glass;
• a single piece of marble for the mihrab.

The most famous masters were called to decorate the halls. They decorated the walls with roses and tulips, floral ornaments. Dome - suras and sayings of the prophets.

All work was completed in 1617. Ahmed I died a year later. He, his wife and several other family members are buried in the mausoleum.

Sultanahmet inside and out

Sultanahmet was supposed to overshadow all the existing buildings in the former Constantinople. It was conceived as a place for prayer and social significant object, including:

• inner and outer courtyards;
• madrasah;
• charitable institutions;
• caravanserai and hospital.

The latter were destroyed in the 19th century.

You can enter the courtyard through 6 gates. Three of them open the entrance from the square near the Blue Mosque. The rest are from the northeast. Front doors lead inside. But only Muslims can enter them. Tourists enter from the south side. In the western part there is an entrance with a chain hanging very low. It was built specifically for the Sultan. Each time, bending down, he showed his insignificance before God.

Courtyard in Sultanahmet Mosque.

Photographer LWYang

The central dome is supported by 5 columns in the shape of an elephant's foot. The diameter of each is 5 m. A black stone, specially brought from Mecca, is installed in the mihrab. That is why from here the believers begin the pilgrimage to the holy city for Muslims.

The space is illuminated through 260 windows. Modern stained glass has become a replacement for glass from Venice. Not far from the entrance there are 9 fountains for washing before prayer. As elsewhere, there are separate prayer halls for men and women. The main part is open to men, and not only Muslims. No one is allowed into the women's quarters.

Inside you can admire the magnificent painting of the walls and the dome. See the layout of the house of the Prophet Muhammad. At the exit from the mosque, everyone can leave a donation.

Legends and facts

The Blue Mosque of Ahmed I in Turkey is associated with several interesting stories. One of them explains why there are 6 minarets. It is believed that the architect made a mistake. He just misunderstood his master. He wished to build towers of pure gold "altyn". Sedefkar heard "alti" - six.

This misunderstanding almost caused a major scandal. After all, such a number of minarets was only in Masjid al-Haram. It turned out that the symbol of the greatness of Ahmed caught up with her in importance. The elders considered this a great sacrilege. Only a wise decision helped the Sultan and the architect to avoid anger. Another, the 7th tower, was added to the main shrine in Mecca, and it again became the greatest.

Another interesting fact not related to religion at all. During construction, almost all Iznik factories supplying ceramics were ruined. Ahmed forbade selling it for other projects. And he paid his bills very sloppily. Or didn't pay at all.

Ottoman architecture originated in Bursa and Edirne in the 15th-16th centuries. and originated on the basis of early Seljuk architecture. She was also under strong influence Byzantine architecture, as well as Iranian and Mamluk traditions. After the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks in the conquered cities, Christian chapels and churches were simply adapted as mosques, later Byzantine architectural artifacts, such as the Hagia Sophia, served as models for many Ottoman mosques. In independent buildings, Ottoman architects in different options developed the theme of a large domed ceiling, and in the 15th century they created a special type of multi-domed mosque. Mosques of this type rest on columns, decorated with numerous domes with one central, often courtyard surrounded by a gallery. Numerous outbuildings are often observed, which are stuck to the main building and are also often covered with small domes. Ottoman mosques are distinguished by thin minarets with conical lanterns. And, if the Byzantine masters decorated the capitals of the columns with chiseled and carved leaves, then the Ottoman masters used combinations of stalactites, which were used in the Arab countries and Iran.

Yeni Kuma Mosque Trabzon, Turkey. Previously, it was a Byzantine church dedicated to St. Eugene.

Saint Eugene is considered the patron saint of Trebizond. He suffered for Christian faith when he accused the pagan judges of cruelty and renounced their faith. The punishment was cruel: they pulled out his tongue, broke his arms and legs. Exact date The construction of the church is not known, but on one of the walls there is an inscription indicating the year 1291. There are still traces of frescoes on the walls, and fragments of mosaics on the floor. According to legend, after the capture of Trebizond, Sultan Mehmed II Fatih, having performed the ritual of washing in the fountain, read the Friday prayer here (hence the second name of the mosque), and declared this temple a mosque.

Beyazit Mosque is one of the largest mosques in Istanbul. The mosque was built between 1500 and 1505. Sultan Beyazit. The architects who built the mosque were supposedly Kemaledin and Khayretdin. The diameter of the dome of the mosque is 17 meters. Ottoman architects covered the domes of the mosque with lead slabs, and built a golden crescent on the spire. The minarets of the mosque are decorated with brick ornaments.

Construction in the Ottoman Empire reached a special scale during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566). It was during this period that Khoja Kemal ad-din Sinan became the chief architect. There are about 300 positions in the list of structures that he built in the vast expanse of the Ottoman Empire. These are mosques (including two in the Crimea), masjids (quarter mosques), madrasahs, dar ul-kurra (libraries), turbe (tombs), tekke (Sufi complexes), imarets (charitable institutions), maristans (hospitals) water pipelines , bridges, caravanserais, palaces and baths. Creativity Kemal ad-Din Sinan is considered the pinnacle of Ottoman architecture, the architect himself was even called "Turkish Leonardo". Indeed, no one could surpass him, and the buildings he created became standards for the religious architecture of the entire Muslim world. The architect Sinan singled out three of his works as the most successful: the Shehzade, Suleymaniye, and Selimiye mosques.

Shehzade Mosque (1543-1548) was built by order of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in memory of Shehzade Cihangir, the youngest son of Suleiman 1 from his legal wife Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Sultan. It is believed that it is with her that the "golden age" of Ottoman architecture begins. In the decoration of the interior, multi-colored stone and stained-glass windows were used, but there are no cenotaphs in the mosque itself. According to the Ottoman tradition, a special turbe was built for the burial of the remains, outside the mosque.

Suleymaniye Mosque (1549–1557) in Istanbul, Turkey.

Four minarets in the corners remind us that Suleiman is the fourth sultan after the capture of Constantinople by the Ottomans, and ten balconies on the minarets symbolize that he is the tenth sultan since the founding of the Ottoman Empire. Its two minarets are of different heights, but they are set far apart, which makes this fact hardly noticeable. The lower one is equal in height to the spire of the dome.

The dome is illuminated by almost one and a half hundred windows, thanks to which a person who comes here falls into a stream of light streaming from the very top of the dome to the ground. Inside you can see antique columns with different capitals, taken from various Byzantine churches, however, they fit well into the overall ensemble of the mosque. To the east of the mosque is the turbe of Sultan Suleiman and the turbe of his beloved wife Roksolana

Selimiye Mosque (1566–1574) in Edirne, Turkey. It strikes with its grandiose silhouette, which has become the dominant of the city. Its dome rests on eight pillars, and the rotunda formed by them is “inscribed” in the square of the walls so that the whole space is perceived as a single whole. The drum of the dome is equipped with many windows through which light enters the mosque and illuminates the exquisite wall decoration.

Continuing the traditions of Byzantine architects, Sinan created huge domes, supported on four sides by large conchs, below which were smaller vaults and arches. He made extensive use of inlaid marble panels and colored stained glass windows. The minarets of Sinan are always slender towers with fluted trunks, “tied up” with an elegant - shurfe - balcony in the upper part, preceding the pointed spire. The architecture of Sinan is characterized by a certain geometric rhythm: the circumference of the powerful dome and the vertical aspiration of the minarets are in perfect harmony with the lancet arches that adorn the buildings in abundance.

Mosque of Sultan Ahmed (Ahmet) Istanbul, Turkey Time of construction: 1609-1616 Other names: Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet Mosque, Ahmediye Mosque.

Architect: Sedefkar Mehmed Agha - one of the most talented students of the great Sinan Capacity: up to 10 thousand people. One of the largest mosques in Turkey was erected in honor of Sultan Ahmed I (1601–1617). The official name of Sultan Ahmed Mosque is Ahmediye, but it is often referred to as the Blue Mosque. The fact is that the interior of the temple is decorated with handmade tiles, in which blue color prevails. But this name can also be associated with the gray-blue color of the outer walls and domes of the mosque. Shields with the names of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad by the famous calligrapher Kasim Gubari are hung on the walls, and a small piece of black stone from the Mecca al-Ka'ba is embedded in the mihrab.

Sultanahmet is a mosque with six minarets. Al-Haram Mosque had the same number of minarets. The Imam of Mecca called this sacrilege, and in order to settle the conflict, Sultan Ahmed I ordered the seventh minaret to be completed to the Al-Haram mosque.

During the XVIII, XIX and early XX centuries. Ottoman architecture falls under the influence European styles. Rounded, wavy and curved lines dominate the structures of this period.

Dolmabahce Mosque Besiktas, Turkey. This is one of the most beautiful and richly decorated mosques. It is located in the southern part of the Dolmabahce Palace, on the banks of the Bosphorus. The mosque was built in 1855 by architect Garabet Balyan. It was ordered to be erected by Sultan Abdülmecid. The uniqueness of the mosque is given by its windows, reminiscent of a peacock's tail, and two minarets, decorated with balconies.

Laleli Jamiya Mosque, built by Sultan Mustafa III in 1759-1763, designed by architect Mehmed Tahir-Aghi is an example of Ottoman baroque. The mosque is located in the Fatih district and is the last imperial complex built in Istanbul.

Ortakoy Mosque in Istanbul. Located in the new part of the city in the Ortakoy area next to the Bosphorus bridge. Built in 1853-1854, it has two minarets.

The mosque was built in the Ottoman Baroque style. Sultan Abdulmejid I entrusted its construction to the Armenian architect Nikogos Balyan, the architects from the Balyan family and the Fossati brothers were the leading specialists of that time.

Beylerbeyi Mosque Istanbul, Turkey. It was erected in 1778 in memory of the mother of Rabiya Sultan by the architect Mehmed Tahir Agha on the orders of Sultan Abdulhamid I.

The main building of the mosque is crowned with a large dome and five small semi-domes, which are planted on two vaults. Its decoration is round S- and C-shaped arches. Around the dome of the mosque there are 20 windows, so it is quite light in it.

Some mosques were even designed with an Ottoman arrangement of the Neo-Gothic style, like the Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Mosque. It was built in 1871 in the lavishly decorated and derided Western style commonly referred to as imperial style, which betrays the mosque's ornate windows and dome.

The Nusretiye Mosque was built by Sultan Mahmud II in 1826 as a symbol of his victory over the Janissaries. The building of the mosque was designed by Grigor Balyan, the founder of the famous dynasty of architects. It is considered a striking example of the Ottoman Baroque style. The dome of the mosque reaches a height of 33 meters. It rests directly on the walls, so the interior space is not partitioned off by columns and looks very voluminous and light. White marble is the main interior decoration material. The main decoration of the mosque is its two thinnest minarets, perhaps the most elegant among all Istanbul ones.

The Kocatepe Mosque is the largest mosque and one of the main attractions of the Turkish capital (Ankara). It is located in the district of the same name, a little south of the historic center of the city. The construction of the Kocatepe Mosque began in 1967.

The Kocatepe Mosque is crowned with a large dome and surrounded by four minarets, it is made in the style of classical Ottoman mosques. The height of its main dome is about 48.5 meters and its diameter is 26 meters. The height of the minarets decorated with gilded crescents is 88 meters. The total area of ​​the building is 4288 square meters.

The Sabanci Marquez Mosque in Adana is the largest mosque in the Middle East and, according to many experts, one of the most beautiful. Construction time 1998-1999 The author of the project is Necip Dinc. Capacity: 28,500 people.

Outwardly, Sabanci Marquez is very similar to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. It is just as majestic, and, unlike other mosques, it has six minarets. Four of them are 99 meters high, the other two are 75 meters each, so they can be seen from almost every corner of the city. The minarets are made of concrete, which included white cement and ivory-colored crushed stone.

The central hall of the mosque can accommodate 28,500 believers at the same time. Its powerful dome with a diameter of 32 meters rests on eight huge supporting columns. The highest point of the dome is 54 meters above the floor. In the interior of the mosque, light marble, traditional for Turkish religious buildings, tiled tiles in the form of ornaments, calligraphic works of the famous calligrapher Hussein Kutlu were used.

The Ottoman sultans paid great attention to the decoration of the capital, as well as the creation of magnificent mosques throughout the caliphate. Traveling through their possessions, the sultans ordered the construction of one or another building on the occasion of their visit (most often mosques, madrasahs or tekke - premises for Sufis). Therefore, buildings of the Ottoman type during this period were built in Damascus (tekke Suleymaniye), Cairo, Baghdad and other cities.