Süleymaniye Camii, Istanbul, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Süleymaniye Camii is the great Ottoman mosque on the Third Hill of Istanbul, built for Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent by the architect Mimar Sinan. It is among the most admired works of classical Ottoman architecture, and its terrace has one of the best views over the Golden Horn and the old city.

The story behind it

Suleiman the Magnificent commissioned the mosque in the middle of the 16th century, and Sinan, the empire's chief architect, built it over roughly seven years, finishing in 1557. Sinan later called it the work of his middle years, the one that showed he had mastered large domed spaces after studying Hagia Sophia, which stands across the old city.

The mosque is the centre of a larger complex, a külliye, that once included madrasas, a hospital, a public kitchen, baths and lodging for travellers. Many of these buildings still stand around the courtyard. In the walled garden behind the mosque are the tombs of Suleiman and of his wife Hürrem Sultan, and Sinan himself is buried in a small tomb of his own design just outside the complex wall. Tradition holds that the four minarets stand for Suleiman being the fourth Ottoman sultan to rule Istanbul, and that the ten balconies on them stand for his being the tenth sultan.

What to look for

• The central dome rises about 53 metres above the floor, and the half domes and arches around it make the vast interior feel light and open.
• The courtyard you cross before entering is framed by columns and small domes, and it shows the proportions Sinan used throughout the complex.
• The four slender minarets, with their balconies, shape the skyline above the Golden Horn and are easy to spot from across the water.
• The terrace on the Golden Horn side gives a wide view of the Bosphorus, the Galata Tower and the rooftops below.
• The tombs in the garden, with their tilework and calm setting, are the resting place of the sultan and his wife.

Tips for your visit

• It is an active mosque and free to enter. Dress modestly, take your shoes off at the door, and women should cover their hair. Visitors are asked to stay clear of prayer times, so check current opening hours and visiting arrangements.
• Allow about an hour for the interior, the courtyard, the garden tombs and the terrace view.
• Morning or late afternoon is the quietest and best for light on the dome. Sunset over the Golden Horn from the terrace is lovely.
• The Grand Bazaar and Istanbul University are a short walk downhill, and the lanes around the mosque have traditional tea houses and small restaurants.

Explore it on a quest

The streets around Süleymaniye are among the most rewarding to wander on foot, and a self-guided walk lets you take them at your own pace. Discover the area on one of Questo's self-guided quests: the app leads you from place to place, tells you about each stop as you arrive, and sets a puzzle in what is in front of you. Browse the quests in Istanbul to find a route that suits you.