The grandest of these are the 16th and 17th century mosque complexes. Although, those built in the 18th and 19th centuries remain equally significant. Fatih Sultan Mehmed, shortly after conquering Constantinople in 1453, commissioned two large mosques. However, both original structures were later destroyed by earthquakes or fires and had to be rebuilt.
OTTOMAN IMPERIAL MOSQUES
Ottoman sultans or members of the imperial dynasty commissioned these monumental complexes. They were usually constructed as külliye, multi-functional complexes centred on a mosque, surrounded by madrasas (theological schools), kitchens, baths and other charitable institutions serving the community.
The great imperial architect Mimar Sinan, master architect of the Ottoman Empire for nearly 50 years, designed many of the still-standing külliye in Istanbul. He set the standard for mosque and complex architecture.
Imperial mosques were also built in other Ottoman cities, including Bursa, Edirne, Konya, Amasya, Manisa and even Damascus.
ISKELE MOSQUE
When crossing from the European to the Asian side of Istanbul, the first monumental building to greet you in Üsküdar is the Iskele Mosque. It was commissioned by Mihrimah Sultan, the only daughter of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and Hürrem Sultan. It is the older of two mosques in the city that bear her name.
The mosque was built in 1548 by the chief imperial architect, Mimar Sinan, as part of a larger complex that included a madrasa, soup kitchen, primary school and hospital.
Legend has it that Sinan fell in love with Mihrimah Sultan and even asked for her hand in marriage, although Sultan Suleiman refused his proposal.
MIHRIMAH SULTAN
Mihrimah Sultan remains one of the most powerful princesses in Ottoman history. Her influence stemmed both from being Suleiman’s beloved daughter and from her mother, Hürrem Sultan, one of the most influential women of the empire.
She lived during the Ottoman Empire’s golden age, when it flourished under Suleiman’s reign.
At the age of 17, Mihrimah married Rüstem Pasha (Rustem-Paša Opuković), a devşirme of either Serbian or Croatian origin, who rose to become Suleiman’s Grand Vizier.
Mihrimah commissioned two imperial mosques in Istanbul – this one in Üsküdar and another near the Edirne Gate by the Theodosian Walls on the European side.
ISKELE MOSQUE – LIVING HISTORY
Even the name of the mosque reveals something of its place in the city’s life. Iskele means “pier” in Turkish. True to its name, the mosque stands beside the Üsküdar ferry terminal. It welcomes travellers as they cross the Bosphorus. Although its official name is the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, locals often prefer the simpler “Iskele Mosque”, to distinguish it from the mosque on the European side.
For modern visitors, the journey to Üsküdar is as memorable as the destination itself. A ferry ride across the Bosphorus is perhaps the most enchanting form of public transport anywhere in the world. As the boat glides between continents, Istanbul unfolds before you in all its grandeur.
Once there, you’ll find not only the Iskele Mosque, but also other historic sites, many tied to the remarkable women who shaped Ottoman politics and culture in the 16th and 17th centuries.
The Iskele Mosque is a story of power and legacy at the height of the Ottoman Empire. To stand before it is to step into the living history of Istanbul, where every corner holds echoes of its imperial past.
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