Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque
6 images 1 contributors Shoot with care
Sue Wolfe
Shoot with care
Shoes need to be removed, arms and legs covered, and women need to cover their hair.
About this spot
Commissioned by Sokollu Mehmet Pasha and his wife Esmahan, the mosque was designed by Imperial Architect Mimar Sinan and finished in 1571. Sinan designed some of the most famous buildings in Istanbul. The mosque is located in the Fatih district of the city—one of the oldest parts of the city—and on the site of the Aya Anastasia Church.
The courtyard is surrounded on three sides by the rooms of a madrasa. In the courtyard is a twelve-sided ablution fountain. To accommodate the steep slope, the mosque was built with a two-story courtyard—the lower with shops and the upper story with the school. The single minaret is at the northeast corner of the mosque.
The interior is decorated by Iznik tiles (blue, red, and green) with calligraphic inscriptions, carnations, and tulips. There are four small pieces of the Hajar al-Aswad (the holy black stone from the Kaaba in Mecca) embedded in the mosque—above the mihrab, front of the minbar, top of the minbar, and above the inner entrance.
The courtyard is surrounded on three sides by the rooms of a madrasa. In the courtyard is a twelve-sided ablution fountain. To accommodate the steep slope, the mosque was built with a two-story courtyard—the lower with shops and the upper story with the school. The single minaret is at the northeast corner of the mosque.
The interior is decorated by Iznik tiles (blue, red, and green) with calligraphic inscriptions, carnations, and tulips. There are four small pieces of the Hajar al-Aswad (the holy black stone from the Kaaba in Mecca) embedded in the mosque—above the mihrab, front of the minbar, top of the minbar, and above the inner entrance.
Join PhotoHound to learn how, where and when to capture amazing photos here
- Know the best times, seasons & shooting conditions
- Detailed directions - maps, co-ordinates and directions
- Know how to get there - where to park or how to reach there using public transport
- Browse inspirational photos and learn how they were taken - see the EXIF details
- Bookmark your favourite spots for future reference
- Know exactly when to shoot for beautiful photographs - sunrise, sunset, blue hour and astrophotography
- Detailed, 7-day weather forecast at this location
- Share your images with like-minded travel photographers
