NEW MOSQUE

Description

Essentials about the New Mosque in brief

The Yeni Cami (New Mosque) stands unmistakably at the southern end of the Galata Bridge and right next to the Misir Çarşisi, the Spice Bazaar, in the heart of Istanbul. It is also known as the Valide Sultan Mosque. The Yeni Cami was commissioned by Safiye, the mother of Sultan Mehmet III and wife of Sultan Murat III. Like many other mosques of Istanbul, the Yeni Cami is a beautiful testimony of Ottoman architecture.

The history of the New Mosque

The contract for the construction of the New Mosque was awarded in 1597. Due to a long list of problems such as financing difficulties, earthquakes, fires, technical complications and the death of the first architect, the construction of the mosque took almost 70 years. It was not until 1663 that the New Mosque was completed. Due to the long construction period, four architects, Mimar Davut Ağa, Mimar Dalgiç Ahmed Ağa and finally Mustafa Ağa, were involved in the construction project.

The New Mosque from outside

Like many other mosques in the center of Istanbul, the New Mosque is a beautiful testimony to Ottoman architecture. The 36 meter high main dome is surrounded by four half-domes, which in turn are framed by many smaller domes. The harmony of the smaller and larger domes gives the mosque almost the impression of a pyramid rising into the sky.

The New Mosque from inside

The interior is richly decorated with gold and marble and has an impressive prayer niche. The Iznik faiences used, however, no longer approach the quality and rank of other sultan’s mosques, as the quality in the Iznik workshops had already noticeably declined by that time. However, the craftsmanship of the mother-of-pearl inlay work on the windows and doors are still the most magnificent examples of the elegance of Ottoman art. In the mausoleum of the New Mosque, five sultans (Mehmet IV, Osman III, Mustafa II, Ahmed III and Mahmud I) and some other members of the Ottoman ruling family have found their final resting place.