Around the Mosque of the Conqueror - Strolling Through Istanbul: The Classic Guide to the City - page 253

separated from each other by slender columns which run up to the
first cornice, elaborately carved with stalactites; the dome is set back a
short distance and has another cornice of its own, also carved.
BALİ PAŞA CAMİİ
We now make a short detour on the street which runs uphill directly
opposite the türbe. Just past the first intersection and on the right side
of the street we see a fine mosque with a ruined porch. An inscription
over the portal states that it was built in 1504 by Huma Hatun,
daughter of Beyazit II, in memory of her late husband, Bali Paşa,
who had died in 1495. Since this mosque appears in the Tezkere,
the listing of Sinan's works, we conclude that Sinan rebuilt Bali Paşa
Camii some time later on, though whether on its old plan or a new
one it is impossible to say. The plan of Bali Paşa Camii is simple
and to a certain extent resembles that of Iskender Paşa, which we
saw earlier on our tour. The chief diference between these two is
that in Bali Paşa the dome arches to north, west and south are very
deep, being almost barrel vaults; thus room is left, on the north and
south, for shallow bays with galleries above. The mosque was severely
injured in the earthquake of 1894 and again in the fire of 1917; it was
partially restored in 1935 and further work has been done on it in
recent years. But the five domes of the porch have never been rebuilt
and this gives the façade a somewhat naked look.
SİNAN'S MESCİT
After leaving Bali Paşa Camii we return to Hüsrev Paşa Sokağı and
continue on in the same direction. We then take the second turning
on the left, on Akşemseddin Caddesi, and walk one block downhill.
There, at the corner to our left, we come upon Mimar Sinan Mescidi,
part of a vakıf founded by the great architect himself in 1573-4.
The present mosque is brand new, except for the minaret, replacing
the original mescit, which had long ago disappeared. The original
mosque was rather irregular, consisting of two rectangular rooms
with a wooden roof. The minaret is of a very rare type, perhaps the
only one of its kind that Sinan ever built. It is octagonal and without
a balcony; instead, at the top, a decorated window in each of the eight