Built in 1585, this mosque is notably friendly and inviting. It honors Kazasker Ivaz Efendi, on of…read morethe highest ranking military judges in the Ottoman Empire. At one time it sat on a terrace of the sprawling Blachernae Palace, a gargantuan imperial Byzantine residence dating back to around 500CE that stretched all the way to the Golden Horn, later razed by the Ottomans. The courtyard cemetery has some beautiful Arabic calligraphy and turbans carved into stone. The interior of the mosque is lovely.

An stunning looking Mosque in Uskadar. Located in close proximity to the ferry terminal, it was…read morebuilt in the mid 1500s While we were there you could easily hear the call to prayer. As these are active places of worship we did not want to disturb the prayers and simply viewed it from the street. On the far side of the mosque there is a steep stair case leading along the wall. In addition to a small entrance there is also a small cemetery with old headstones. It also was a great spot to catch the setting sun

A beautiful peace of art built close to the pier of Üsküdar, that's why it's also called 'Iskele…read moreCamii'.. It's one of Üsküdar's best known landmarks.. The mosque was built by the daughter of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, Mihrimah Sultan.. The mosque was designed by the very famous architect Mimar Sinan.. The mosque was built between 1546 and 1548.. Mihr-i Mah means Sun and Moon..

One of the few surviving mosques from before 1500, it was built by Mehmet Aga in 1465 during the…read morerule of Sultan Mehmet the Conquerer. Renovated in 1491, 1735, and 1953. Good view of the Hagia Sofia from jist outside, its near the Cisterns and a tram station.

The Mehmet Ağa Mosque, located in Fatih Çarşamba, is believed to have been built in 1585 by Habeşî…read moreMehmet Ağa, who was the Darüssaade Ağa (chief eunuch) during the reign of Murad III, and designed by the chief architect of the time, Mimar Sinan. Although the inscription mentions Mimar Davut Ağa, it is estimated that the design of the mosque was started by Mimar Sinan, but continued and completed by Mimar Davut Ağa. The inscription above the eastern gate of the mosque's perimeter wall, facing the street, states that the construction was completed in 1585 and lists the names of the founder and architect. It's been many things besides a mosque, it once was a stable and you can still see the rings they tethered them to on the mosque wall.

In between the Pera Palace and the Galata Tower, closer to the Tower, you'll find this charming…read morelittle mosque. There are conflicting reports on the history of this mosque. Some say the original building was built on the order of Haci Ali Bereketzade, the castellan of the nearby Galata Tower, in 1453. Others say it dates from circa 1702 and was built by Bereketzade Mehmed Efendi (the version presented in the mosque). It was completely destroyed in 1948 and the current building dates from 2006. The old drinking fountain once onsite has been moved to a location close to the Galata Tower.

Amazingly, despite being so close to perhaps Istanbul's most popular mosque - the Blue Mosque, this…read moremosque is on the other hand oft-ignored. However, I would argue that Sokollu Mehmet Pasa Mosque is more significant architecturally and historically! The Blue Mosque was designed by the pupil of the master architect Mimar Sinan, who was the designer of this mosque. Although lacking the grandeur of the Blue Mosque, SMP Mosque is nonetheless a masterpiece that reveals Mimar Sinan's perfected skills and trumps even his own famous works like Suleimaniye Mosque! For instance, take a look at the courtyard. Ottoman mosques were designed as a complex to include buildings of various functions like school and hospital, and SMP was no exception. However, while almost every other mosques have these buildings separated and disjointed, all the buildings in SMP were seamlessly integrated by Sinan. The result is a fully functional and harmonious complex! Literally on top of this architectural harmony is the multi-cupola that is an iconic Ottoman mosque element, although on this mosque, the multiple cupolas were designed to complement one another in a harmonious splendor almost as a single multifaceted cupola without the excessive extravagance or redundancy in the works from Sinan's pupils. Long story short, SMP is truly a masterpiece that is worth the (very short) detour from the main tourist path and may be even more worthy to see than the more famous mosques in Istanbul! I highly recommend seeing this beautiful mosque, especially before this becomes an open secret like Rustem Pasa Mosque.

Unfortunately, it was not open at the time of arrival…read more For a small mosque, boasts 2 minarets has stunning architecture, and situated right on the Bosporus and 15 of July martyrs bridge. This Mosque is worth a visit just to see the architecture in views.

Repaired and revived in 1835 during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II. This sincere smaller red mosque…read moreis interesting. It is also known as Meydancık Mosque, and the "Hasan Husayn Mosque" because two men named Hasan and Hussein, who were martyred in the service of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, were buried here. It is an elevated building with wooden cladding; its roof is wooden and its walls are covered with hand-drawn decorations. The mihrab, pulpit, and women's gallery are also wood. There are four long windows on the street side, one above the other, and two windows to the right and left of the altar. Its single-balcony minaret was made of brick and later plastered with concrete. In front of the mosque are the shrines of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari and Jafar b. Abdullah al-Ansari.