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estimated at 500,000 ducats. “Although ninety years of age,” says von
Hammer, “he had not been able to renounce the pleasures of the
harem, and he died in the arms of a concubine.”
To return to the mosque. Profoundly as Sinan had been impressed
and inspired by Haghia Sophia, he had always avoided any kind
of direct imitation of that great building. Now in his old age - he
was over 90 when he designed this mosque - whether for his own
amusement or on instructions from Kılıç Ali Paşa cannot be known -
he deliberately planned a structure which is practically a small replica
of the Great Church. It is one of his least successful buildings. One
does not know quite why this is; it must have something to do with
the greatly reduced proportions. But the fact is that the building seems
heavy, squat and dark; it is not improved by the plethora of lamps,
but this, of course, is not Sinan's fault. His main departures from
the plan of Haghia Sophia are: the provision of only two columns
instead of four between each of the piers to north and south, and the
suppression of the exedrae at the east and west ends; both seem to
have been dictated by the reduced scale, and indeed to have retained
the original disposition would clearly have made the building even
heavier and darker. Nevertheless, the absence of the exedrae deprives
the mosque of what in Haghia Sophia is one of its main beauties.
The mihrab is in a square projecting apse, where there are some Iznik
tiles of the best period. At the west there is a kind of pseudo-narthex
of five cross-vaulted bays separated from the prayer area by four
rectangular pillars.
The mosque is preceded by a very picturesque double porch. The
inner one is of the usual type, five domed bays supported by columns
with stalactited capitals; over the entrance portal is the historical
inscription giving the date A.H. 988 (A.D. 1580), and above this a
Kuranic text in a fascinating calligraphy and set in a curious projecting
marble frame, triangular in shape and adorned with stalactites. The
outer porch has a steeply sloping penthouse roof, supported by 12
columns on the west façade and three on each side, all with lozenge
capitals; in the centre is a monumental portal of marble, and there
are bronze grilles between the columns; the whole efect being quite
charming.
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