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In-Depth Information
quite unusual. Like Aya Sofya, its interior was originally decorated with gold mosaics and
featured columns made from fine green and red marble. The mosaics are long gone, but
the impressive columns remain. The church was converted into a mosque by the chief
white eunuch Hüseyin Ağa around 1500; his tomb is to the north of the building. The min-
aret and medrese date from this time.
The medrese cells, arranged around the mosque's forecourt, are now used by second-
hand booksellers and bookbinders. In the leafy forecourt there is a tranquil çay bahçesi
where you can relax over a glass of tea.
SOKOLLU ŞEHİT MEHMET PAŞA MOSQUE
OFFLINE MAP
| MOSQUE
GOOGLE MAP
(Sokollu Mehmet Paşa Camii; cnr Şehit Çeşmesi & Katip Sinan Camii Sokaks, Kadırga; Sultanahmet,
Çemberlitaş) Sinan designed this mosque in 1571, at the height of his architectural career.
Besides its architectural harmony, the mosque is unusual because the medrese is not a sep-
arate building but actually part of the mosque structure, built around the forecourt. The in-
terior is decorated with spectacular red-and-blue İznik tiles - some of the best ever made.
Though named after the grand vizier of the time, the mosque was actually sponsored by
his wife Esmahan, daughter of Sultan Selim II. Inside are four fragments from the sacred
Black Stone in the Kaaba at Mecca: one above the entrance framed in gold, two in the
mimber and one in the mihrab .
If the mosque isn't open, wait for the guardian to appear; he may offer photos for sale
and will certainly appreciate a tip.
Gülhane, Sirkeci & Eminönü
GÜLHANE PARK
OFFLINE MAP
| PARK
(Gülhane Parkı; Gülhane) Gülhane Park was once the outer garden of Topkapı Palace, ac-
cessed only by the royal court. These days, crowds of locals come here to picnic under the
many trees, promenade past the formally planted flowerbeds and enjoy wonderful views
over the Golden Horn and Sea of Marmara from the Set Üstü Çay Bahçesi on the park's
northeastern edge.
Recent beautification works have seen improvements to walkways and amenities, and
have included the opening of a new museum, the İstanbul Museum of the History of
Science & Technology in Islam ( CLICK HERE ).
 
 
 
 
 
 
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