18TH AND 19TH CENTURY OTTOMAN IMPERIAL MOSQUES
Usually built as monumental complexes that comprise various structures, they are historically significant and a crucial part of the architectural and artistic patrimony. But some imperial mosques are smaller and reflect contemporary trends of an era in which they were constructed.
I wrote about the Ottoman 16th and 17th century imperial mosques in my previous post. This post is about mosques constructed in a later period of the Ottoman Empire, in the 18th and 19th century.
But the list is not comprehensive because I haven’t seen all of them. Almost every sultan and other members of the Ottoman dynasty wanted to leave their mark on the city, so there are many of them.
YENI VALIDE MOSQUE (1711)
This mosque is in Üsküdar, in the Asian part of Istanbul. Sultan Ahmed III ordered its construction in honour of his mother Emetullah Râbi’a Gülnûş Sultan.
Yeni Valide Mosque opened in 1711. In fact, it was a complex consisting of a mosque, a hospice, arasta (shops beneath or close to the mosque to provide income for repairs and maintenance), a primary school, a courtyard fountain, a clock tower and offices.
The building is typical of the classical Ottoman period and the “Sinan school” of the Ottoman religious architecture. As a matter of fact, it’s a copy of the Rüstem Pasha Mosque.
What’s also interesting about this mosque is that it’s one of the earliest examples of the 18th century trend when they started to construct mosques with higher and narrower domes.
Gülnuş Sultan was Haseki Sultan of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed IV. She was Valide Sultan when her two sons became sultans – Mustafa II and Ahmed III.
NURUOSMANIYE MOSQUE (1755)
The Nuruosmaniye Mosque is also one of the most recognisable Istanbul’s landmarks. When you cross Galata Bridge from Karaköy to Eminönü, it’s right in front of you. It dominates Istanbul’s skyline, together with other prominent constructions such as Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Yeni Mosque and Süleymaniye Mosque. Plus, it’s next to the Grand Bazaar and most tourist inevitably pass through its courtyard on the way there.
Sultan Mahmud I commissioned its construction in 1748. But his successor Sultan Osman III completed it in 1755.
This mosque is one of the finest examples of the Ottoman Baroque style. Its name means “the light of Osman”, after Sultan Osman III. Additionally, many windows let a lot of light into the mosque.
I believe that, because of its location, this mosque is among the most visited ones in the city.
AYAZMA MOSQUE (1760)
Sultan Mustafa III commissioned construction of the Ayazma Mosque in the 18th century prevailing Ottoman Baroque style. Essentially, this mosque is a smaller version of the Nuruosmaniye Mosque. If you check photos of these two mosques carefully, you’ll see that they are identical. Thus, Nuruosmaniye Mosque set the architectural model for future imperial mosques.
The Ayazma Mosque was completed in 1761. Sultan Mustafa III built this mosque in honour of his mother Mihrişah Kadin.
FATIH MOSQUE (1771)
The religious temple that we see today is from the 18th century. Fatih in Turkish means conqueror, so Fatih Mosque means Conqueror’s Mosque.
Fatih Sultan Mehmed commissioned the original mosque in 1463, 10 years after he had captured Constantinople. The original complex was completed in 1470.
But the original structure was completely destroyed in an earthquake, in 1766. Sultan Mustafa III pulled it down and built a completely new complex in 1771.
The original complex was the second oldest in the city, as it was built 7 years after Constantinople became an Ottoman city. Nevertheless, the existing 18th century complex is majestic.
LALELI MOSQUE (1783)
Sultan Mustafa III ordered construction of this mosque in the Ottoman Baroque style. The mosque was completed in 1764, destroyed in fire in 1783 and it was immediately rebuilt.
The fire of 1911 destroyed the madrasa within the complex. Finally, the construction works on nearby Ordu street destroyed other structures of the original complex.
The Laleli Mosque is a beautiful late 18th century building and one more precious jewel of the Ottoman imperial heritage in Istanbul.
EYÜP SULTAN MOSQUE (1800)
The Eyüp Sultan Mosque is one of the most interesting Islamic religious temples that you can see in Istanbul. Of course, provided that you know why.
Fatih Sultan Mehmed commissioned construction of this mosque immediately after he had conquered Constantinople. Allegedly, Sultan Mehmed’s teacher Akşemseddin dreamt of a mosque in a place where Abu Ayyub al-Ansari died during the first Arab siege of Constantinople in the 670s.
Abu Ayyub al-Ansari was the standard bearer and companion of the prophet Muhammad.
The Ottoman establishment used the Eyüp Sultan Mosque in the coronation ceremony of new Ottoman sultans. A new sultan passed along the Accession Way (Cülus Yolu) and they girded him with the Sward of Osman at the start of his reign.
Sultan Selim III rebuilt the whole complex in 1800 as, by the end of the 18th century, the original mosque was in a ruinous state because of an earthquake damage.
GRAND SELIMIYE MOSQUE (1805)
Sultan Selim III commissioned construction of the Grand Selimiye Mosque next to the Selimiye Barracks in Üsküdar. The mosque was completed in 1805.
The mosque complex consisted of a primary school, a timekeeper’s house, a fountain and a hammam. While the original form of the mosque has been preserved, its surroundings have significantly changed. There were shops, factories and even a printing house at the time, in a regular grid of streets. Of course, the neighbourhood still exists, but with modern buildings and facilities.
The Grand Selimiye Mosque continues the Ottoman Baroque architectural style of the 18th century Istanbul.
TEŞVIKIYE MOSQUE (1854)
Sultan Selim III also commissioned construction of the Teşvikiye Mosque in 1794. But they completed building it in 1854, during the reign of Sultan Abdülmecit I.
The Neo-Baroque structure has nothing to do with the architectural styles that prevailed in Istanbul over many previous centuries. The façade of the mosque with its white columns makes it rather unique.
To see this mosque, you need to go to the Şişli neighbourhood.
DOLMABAHÇE MOSQUE (1855)
One more iconic mosque in Istanbul is the Dolmabahçe Mosque. Architecturally outstanding and in its superb location on the Bosporus, it captivates everyone crossing from the European to the Asian side of Istanbul by boat.
Bemialem Valide Sultan commissioned construction of this mosque. But she died and her son, Sultan Abdülmecid I, completed it in 1855.
Also, because of its proximity to the Dolmabahçe Palace, the Dolmabahçe Mosque was the official palace mosque.
PERTEVNIYAL VALIDE SULTAN MOSQUE (1871)
Built in 1871, the Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Mosque was one of the last imperial mosques to be constructed in Istanbul during the Ottoman era.
This mosque is an example of the Ottoman Rococo, with elements of the Turkish, Gothic, Renaissance and Empire styles. In my opinion, it’s possibly one of the most beautifully decorated mosques, provided that you like Rococo. Pertevniyal Sultan was the wife of Sultan Mahmud II.
Her further powerful role was Valide Sultan, she was the mother of Sultan Abdülaziz.
I hope that this and my previous article will inspire people interested in Ottoman history to follow in my steps and visit these magnificent buildings.
I will look at each of these mosques in more detail in my future posts.
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