Eminonu New Mosque: Stories of Istanbul History

2023-09-18

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Information About Eminonu New Mosque

Information About Eminonu New Mosque

Eminonu New Mosque is one of the masterpieces of sultans overlooking the seaside in Istanbul, one of the most important symbols of the ancient city. The mosque is the last example of large mosques created by order of the Ottoman Sultans, which took the longest time to be established, compared to other mosques.

Eminonu Mosque History and Architecture

It is located in Eminonu Square of Fatih Municipality, Istanbul's busiest area; Eminonu New Mosque witnesses a huge crossing every day for citizens and tourists from all over the world.

Eminonu New Mosque is also known as the Sultan's Mother's Mosque or the Sultana's Mother's Mosque. It was ordered to be built in 1597 by Safiya Sultan, mother of Sultan Muhammad III. As sultans who came after Muhammad III were reluctant to complete the project, and for other reasons, the mosque's construction was suspended.

After the massive fire in 1660 in Istanbul, Sultan Hatice Turhan, mother of Sultan Mohammed IV, passed by the mosque and saw the devastation and destruction, and so it was completed in 1663 under her auspices.

The Sultan's Palace, housed in the mosque, is one of the most beautiful palaces attached to mosques built in the 17^th century.

Although the mosque's name is famous as the new mosque, this mosque, which became a symbol of Eminonu, is now 500 years old. Its 66-year establishment time has witnessed eight Ottoman sultans’ rule.

The mosque and its construction period show how much influence the mothers of sultans exerted on public affairs in the Ottoman Empire, particularly in the 16^th and 17^th centuries.

The gated corridor is a unique feature of Eminonu New Mosque, a corridor leading to the Sultan's Palace, connecting Banks Street to the strait's side

There is an ablution spot in the mosque's inner courtyard is, and the courtyard is surrounded by a hallway bordered by twenty columns with twenty-four domes on top of them.

Like many mosques, this mosque lost its outer courtyard as the construction crawled towards it, while its three-door interior courtyard remained, decorated with beautiful ceramic decorations.

On the mosque's roof is a dome with a diameter of sixteen meters and is based on four huge columns, while the decorations fill the mosque's walls from the floor to the above second row of windows. Compared to others in similar mosques, these decorations are of lower quality, indicating a decline in this artistry at that time.

Next to the mosque is the second-largest roofed market in Istanbul after the Grand Bazaar, the Egyptian market. The mosque itself is the largest cemetery for Ottoman sultans, containing the tomb of five Ottoman sultans, as well as that of Sultan Hatice Turhan, who is credited with completing the mosque's building.

How to Get to Eminonu New Mosque in Istanbul

To get to the mosque using public transport, it's enough to get to Eminonu Square, Istanbul. You can reach the square from most of Istanbul's central spots by bus. You can also use the Bagcilar-Kabatas tramway line and then get off at the Eminonu stop.

The best way to come to the square from the Asian side is to use the sea ferry from Uskudar or Kadikoy.