The Seventh Hill - Strolling Through Istanbul: The Classic Guide to the City - page 325

medrese and a large double hamam; but these have unfortunately
perished in the widening of the adjacent streets.
The founder, Murat Paşa, was a convert from the imperial family
of the Palaeologues; he became a vezir of Fatih and died in battle as a
relatively young man. The date of construction of his mosque is given
in an intricate inscription in Arabic over the main door - A.H. 874
(A.D. 1469) - later than Mahmut Paşa Camii by only seven years.
The calligraphy in this inscription is exceptionally beautiful and is
probably by Ali Sofi, who did the fine inscription over the Imperial
Gate to the Saray.
Behind Murat Paşa Camii a large catacomb was discovered in
1972 during excavations for a sewer. Eight vaulted chambers were
found extending over an area roughly 30 metres square. It is thought
that there is a second storey of comparable size beneath the first, but
this has not yet been explored. The catacomb is believed to date from
the sixth century A.D. The catacomb was closed of soon after its
discovery and now there is no trace of it visible.
A little farther up Millet Caddesi, on the same side of the avenue,
we find a newly removed and reconstructed mosque of some interest.
It was founded by Selçuk Hatun, daughter of Sultan Mehmet I and
an aunt of Mehmet the Conqueror. Selçuk Hatun died in 1485 and
so her mosque must be from about that date. In the seventeenth
century the mosque was partly burned and then was reconstructed by
the Chief Black Eunuch, Abbas Ağa. In 1956, when Millet Caddesi
was widened, the mosque was demolished and re-erected not far
from its old site. How far the reconstructed building follows the old
plan is not clear; at all events the mosque is rather attractive and the
reconstruction at least adequate.
We now cross Millet Caddesi and continue south for a short
distance until we come to Cerrah Paşa Caddesi, where we turn right
and begin walking along the Marmara slope of the Seventh Hill. Here
we leave the modern city behind, for the most part, and stroll through
a more serene and old-fashioned quarter of Stamboul.
CERRAH PAŞA CAMİİ
A short way along the left side of the avenue we come to an imposing