In the 16th century the Ottoman Empire was at its peak. And the zenith of the century is the forty-seven year reign (the longest ever in the Ottoman Empire) of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent.
The Suleymaniye Mosque
The great Sultan had recruited the famous Turkish architect Sinan to plan and build a mosque bearing his own name. Sinan, a genius of the world of architecture and the founder/ benefactor of the Turkish classical school of architecture, completed the huge mosque complex that also included schools, a library, a Turkish bath, a public kitchen, a caravanserai, a hospital and shops. It was built between the years 1550 and 1557, thus proving that he indeed deserved the suffix of "Great" that was granted him.
One has to stand at a distance to be able take in the exterior beauty of the Suleymaniye Mosque fully. The best site for this is the Galata coast of the Golden Horn, especially the Galata Tower. The nave of the four-minaret royal mosque is covered by a huge dome.
The main entrance to the mosque is reached by passing through an inner courtyard with a symbolic ablution fountain at the center and porticos at all the four sides. The spaciousness and unity of the nave of the mosque and the rather subtle decoration of the interior walls all contribute to an aura of dignified grandeur.
The central cupola of 53 m.height at the keystone and a 26.50 m. diameter is supported by four pendentives on four pillars. All the architectural elements constituting the dome are in proper harmony with one another. The static balance too is perfect.
The numerous earthquakes that shook the city of Istanbul since the 16th century did not cause even a single crack. The inner surface of the dome was decorated with baroque painting from the 19th century.
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