Along the Land Walls - Strolling Through Istanbul: The Classic Guide to the City - page 356

examples being those in the türbe of the Şehzade and the fine series
of panels in the mosque of Sultan Selim. A few more such panels, but
with blue and white inscriptions, will be found inside the mosque
on the east wall. The marble revetment around the entrance portal
evidently belongs to a restoration carried out in 1896; fortunately,
though very Empire in style, it is restrained and does not clash badly
with the rest.
On entering we find that the plan of the mosque is a hexagon
inscribed in a rectangle. The four semidomes lie along the diagonals
of the building and each rests on two small conches; six great
columns support the arches, and there are galleries on three sides.
The proportions of the building are unusually fine, as are many of the
details; for example, the polychrome voussoirs of the arches and the
elegant mihrab and mimber. But what is rarer are the wooden ceilings
under the western galleries, painted with elaborate arabesques in rich
reds, dark blue, gold and black. This is perhaps the most extensive
and best preserved example of this kind of painting in the city; it is
singularly rich and beautiful. Unfortunately, the ceiling on the left
has recently been spoiled by an attempt at restoration, but the one on
the right still retains its sombre brilliance.
Outside the precinct wall, towards the west, is the türbe of the
founder, a simple octagonal building, unfortunately ruined inside.
Beyond it stands the large mektep, double and of very interesting
design, a long rectangular building with a wooden roof; it is still used
as a primary school.
We now find ourselves in the large, irregular and picturesque
square in front of Topkapı, the Cannon Gate. Until a few years ago,
when the new breaches in the walls were made, this was one of the
two main entrances to the city and, like the other one, Edirnekapı,
hopelessly narrow and impossible for traffic. One pleasant result of
the new breaches for the modern highways is that the districts around
the ancient gates have become backwaters, to some extent, and are no
longer so congested with traffic. Topkapı was anciently known as the
Gate of St. Romanus, from a nearby church of that name. Its Turkish
name, the Cannon Gate, comes from the fact that outside it in 1453
Sultan Mehmet placed his largest cannon, the famous Urban. Here