(Şehzade Mosque / Şehzade Mosque)

A very elegant mosque built by the great architect Mimar Sinan, a pearl among his creations. Commissioned by Padishah Suleiman I in memory of his untimely deceased heir.

A smallpox epidemic in 1543 claimed the life of şehzade (heir to the throne) Mehmed, the eldest son of Sultan Suleiman I and Roksolana, who had just turned 21 years old. Until now, the cause of his death is not entirely clear. There are legends that Shehzade Mehmed died of smallpox, which was infected by another concubine from the harem. The sick woman ended up in Shehzade’s bed thanks to the diligent efforts of Gulbeher, the padishah’s first wife. Blackened with grief, Suleiman sat next to Mehmed’s body for three days and three nights and only on the fourth day allowed the deceased to be buried. In honor of his beloved son, he ordered the architect Mimar Sinan to build a large mosque with a library, fountains, inns, several madrassas (including a primary school) and free kitchen for the poor. Suleiman wanted the mosque to become not just a place of prayer, but also a place of life next to the mausoleum of his beloved son (born of his beloved wife Hurrem Haseki Sultan).

The Heir Mosque (Şehzadeh) is the first large mosque commissioned from Sinan, and he creates this magnificent, almost perfect building in one go. For Mimar, this work became a real test of maturity. Historians believe that the Shehzade Mosque is rightfully considered the first work of the master, which laid the foundation for the new classical Ottoman architecture. Construction of the mosque took four years, from 1543 to 1548.

The courtyard of the mosque is quite cramped. By the way, its perimeter is exactly equal to the perimeter buildings of the Shehzade mosque. In the center of the courtyard there is a fountain, built later by order of Sultan Murad IV. Eight thin columns support the dome of traditional architecture. The two minarets of the Shehzade Mosque are a true work of art. The lower part of the column of each minaret is decorated with traditional Ottoman patterns, as if strung on a vertical line that ends in a crescent. These simple and laconic decorations make boring minarets look very elegant.

The central dome is supported by four hemispherical domes forming a cross, so that the entire roof rests on four support pylons supported by large arches. Interior decoration The mosque is made lightly and simply in red and yellow colors.

Shehzade Mosque has a square plan. The strict symmetry is due to Sinan's architectural technique, where the weight of the central dome is evenly distributed between the four arches and then transferred to the four monumental steles (supports). In addition, each arch transfers part of the weight to the semi-dome, which, in turn, transfers part of the weight to three smaller semi-domes. With this simple architectural technique, Sinan increases inner space Shehzade mosque, significantly exceeding the diameter (19 meters) of the main dome.

The mosque is interesting because of this idea of ​​Sinan: “the height of the foundation is approximately equal to the height of the building, under the floors of the building there is a swimming pool, thanks to which it is cool here in summer and warm in winter.”

Behind the Heir Mosque there is a cemetery with several türbe, including Mehmed's şehzade, Mahmud's Şehzade and the Grand Viziers Ibrahim Pasha and Rustem Pasha. These luxurious mausoleums (open daily except Mondays from 09.00 to 17.00), richly decorated with Iznik tiles, are among the most beautiful in Istanbul. You can enter the Heir Mosque through the courtyard, and all the other kulliye buildings are nearby in a large external courtyard. Now some of them are used by the neighboring lyceum, some are empty, and in one of the madrasahs there is a restaurant of national Turkish cuisineŞehzade Mehmed Sofrası.

And Fatih, not far from the noisy traffic in the courtyard, surrounded by greenery, lies the Shehzade mosque complex. The center of the complex is a magnificent Shehzade Mosque, commissioned by Mimar Sinan. Shehzade Mosque belongs to the early period of the great architect’s work and is the first large mosque commissioned by Sinan. But despite the fact that even Sinan himself said that he erected Shehzade Mosque, when he was still an “apprentice” in architecture, the work of the great master, even from his early period, is immediately visible, Sinan’s style in decorating minarets is especially noticeable.

(Mehmed) or Shehzadebashi Mosque is a mosque dedicated to the heir who was not destined to ascend the throne. IN Ottoman Empire all the sons of the sultans who claimed the throne were called sehzade, which is translated from Turkish as heir. Shehzade Mosque was ordered to Sinan shortly before the death of Mehmed, so many historians are inclined to think that Suleiman ordered this mosque in his honor, but after a sad event he decided to dedicate it to his son. The unexpected death of twenty-two-year-old Shehzade Mehmed - the eldest son of Suleiman's beloved wife - Hurrem Sultan became terrible tragedy for the great ruler. However, one of the biggest tragedies in the life of the great Sultan may have become a “happy” occasion for the future generation and Sinan, because if Suleiman had not dedicated the mosque to his suddenly deceased son, and to himself, it might not have been subsequently built, which became a diamond of Istanbul architecture and the main work Sinana.

Shehzade Mosque and the complex attached to it were erected in 1543-1548, one of the first structures erected in the complex was the mausoleum for Shehzade Mehmed, and the mosque itself was built in such a way that it could be used until the completion of the interior decoration. The mosque has a square building plan, the courtyard of the mosque is also made in the shape of a square and is considered one of the most architecturally ordered courtyards among all Istanbul mosques. The main dome of the mosque is supported by four sub-domes, forming a cross and in turn resting on arches. And despite the fact that Sinan’s architectural thought developed and stepped far forward during the construction of Suleymaniye, the following less talented architects used the plan of the Shehzade mosque as a basis during the construction and.

Courtyard of Shehzade Mosque

In interior decoration one feels restraint, very simple motifs on a white background in bright red and blue tones, but with so much light inside, one gets the impression that in this way Sinan tried to convey the youth and vigor of the deceased heir. The outside of the mosque is decorated with two minarets, and in the center of the courtyard there is a magnificent shadyvran.

Shehzade Mosque located at Fatih, Shehzadebashi Street and is open to the public every day daytime. A visit to the mosque should be combined with a visit to the nearby Suleymaniye Mosque. From Taksim, it is best to get to the Muse stop by buses 61 B, 69 A, 145 T, 70 KY and, after visiting the Valens Aqueduct, go to the Shehzade Mosque. Since in order to get to the Shehzade Mosque you will have to make many transfers, it is best to get to the Beyazit stop by tram, and from here go to the mosque on foot.

In the city of contrasts, and this is what they sometimes say about the former capital of capitals, there are many places where Muslims come to pray. Among them are small mosques and huge shrines, reminiscent of the power of the people for whom they are named, or silent confirmation of the wealth and taste of their founders. People of various faiths travel to Istanbul, but despite this, almost all of them traditionally rush to visit its most famous mosques.

Such buildings are interesting for their history and architecture; they can bring aesthetic pleasure and soothe the soul. In addition, each of them has become a kind of calling card of the metropolis, located on the shores of the ever-turbulent city.

Sehzade Mosque in Istanbul - a little history

Unlike Bayazid, the son of Suleiman, Mehmet, the first born of the well-known Roksolana to us all, was his father’s favorite. He died at the age of 22 in 1543. Having achieved great success during the military campaign in Hungary, Sehzade returned to Istanbul in triumph. However, on the way back he was killed. There is a legend that the heir to the throne died after contracting smallpox from a concubine sent by the angry first wife of his father-sultan.

The funeral service for Sehzade Mehmed was held. Historians claim that Suleiman was so upset by the untimely death of his son that he ordered the construction of a temporary tomb and mourned his son there for 40 days, being in deep mourning. A few years later, a mausoleum was built on that site by the architect Sinan, which became part of a larger complex named after Mehmet. Construction began in 1544 and was completed by 1549. The construction of the mosque was probably completed four years later, in 1548.

During the reign of Murat IV at the beginning of the 17th century, a fountain was built in the courtyard of the mosque for the ablution of Muslims.

Shehzade Mosque - description

Shehzade complex is located on an area of ​​about 240 meters wide (from east to west) and 160 meters long (from north to south). It consists of several separate buildings surrounded by one wall. This is a mosque, a madrasah, a tabhane, a hospice, a primary school, a cemetery with the burials of Mehmet Cihangir's brother, his daughter Humashah Sultan, Rustem Pasha, Mustafa Desteri, paternal aunt Hatice Sultan and Shehzade himself. Within the complex there are also three burial places of unknown persons and the grave of the patroness of women and children, Helvachi Baba.

Shehzade Mosque (Turkish: Şehzade Mehmet Camii) is one of the most important Sultan's mosques built in historical center Istanbul during the Ottoman Empire. The shrine, which was erected by order of Suleiman the Magnificent in his memory dead son, is famous for the beauty and complexity of its architecture. It has been a place of worship for Muslims for centuries, and in modern times it has also become a popular tourist attraction.

The mosque is located in the very center of the walled area of ​​the complex. You can enter this room from the north, south and west through five entrances (three of them lead to the avla and two to the prayer hall).

Avlu Muslim shrine- This is a courtyard with columns. The structure is topped with five domes connected by arches made of white and pink marble. The arches alternate in a certain sequence, which allows you to create a striking visual effect. In the center of the yard stands octagonal marble fountain for ablutions before prayer.

The mosque is square in shape, measuring 42 meters on a side, and is dominated by a large central dome, 110 feet high and about 60 feet in diameter. There is two minarets. They are made on the northeast and southeast corners of the avlu (northwest and southwest of the prayer hall). The minarets are equipped with decorative sculptures in the form of geometric bas-reliefs and inlaid with terracotta panels. Prayer hall located in the eastern part of the mosque.

In the interior of the Mehmed Mosque you can see simple but exquisite decorations. It is made mainly of white stone with polychrome tiles. The floor of the building is covered with a dark red carpet. The swimming pool located under the building creates comfortable temperature inside the mosque on hot Istanbul summer days, and warms it in winter.

Where is the Şehzade Mosque in Istanbul and how to get to it

The Shehzade complex is located V, on Sehzadebasi Caddesi Street, connecting Bayezid and Edirnekapi. To the south it borders Divanyolu Boulevard, and to the north of the mosque stands a mosque built in the Roman era. On the western side near the complex there is a park that runs along Ataturk Boulevard.

Coordinates of the mosque: 41°00′49.66″ N. w. 28°57′25.83″ E. d. / 41.013794° s. w. 28.957175° E. d.

The easiest way to get there is to take tram T1 and ride to the Am Laleli-Üniversite stop. For more detailed information about all types of transport that can be used to get to the Shehzade Mosque, read at www.placesinistanbul.com.

Shehzade Mosque Address: Sehzadebasi Caddesi, Fatih / Istanbul.
Site of attraction: www.sehzadecamii.com
The mosque is open from 9.00 to 17.00. Free admission.

Sehzade Mosque in photo and video

Photo: Below you can see photographs of one of the most beautiful mosques in Istanbul, built in honor of Sehzade Mehmet. Pay attention to the features of its architecture. There is an opinion that this is the first of the grandiose creations of the great architect Sinan.

In my story, I focused on the person of Mimar Sinan or Architect Sinan, a contemporary of Michelangelo and Ivan the Terrible, the greatest architect in the entire history of the Ottoman Empire, who under Suleiman the Magnificent made an excellent career as a military engineer, and then became the main architect of the state. The next two imperial mosques came out of his hand, and the first of them was the Shehzade Mosque (Şehzade Camii) at the intersection of Shehzadebaşı and Atatürk Boulevard. It was built in 1543 - 1548 by Suleiman the Magnificent in memory of the Sultan’s beloved son, Shehzade (Prince) Mehmed, who died early, at the age of 22.

Like many mosques built later by Sinan, the building has a square base on which rests a large central dome with a diameter of 18.42 meters, surrounded by four halves of domes and numerous smaller auxiliary domes. The massive faceted columns supporting the dome are drawn very clearly, the structure of the vaults is clearly highlighted by the alternating dark and light wedge-shaped masonry of the arches, and the interior decoration of the temple is made in the same contrast. The strict symmetry is due to Sinan's architectural technique, where the weight of the central dome is evenly distributed between four arches and then transferred to four monumental supports. In addition, each arch transfers part of the weight to the semi-dome, which, in turn, transfers part of the weight to three smaller semi-domes. With this simple architectural technique, Sinan increases the internal space of the Shehzade mosque, which significantly exceeds the diameter (19 meters) of the main dome. Again the legacy of St. Sophia. And externally, the entire structure turned into a single climbing hill, pointed upward.

The courtyard of the mosque is quite cramped. By the way, its perimeter is exactly equal to the perimeter of the Shehzade mosque building. In the center of the courtyard there is a fountain, built later by order of Sultan Murad IV.

There is a feeling of restraint in the interior decoration, simple motifs on a white background in bright red and blue tones, it is a pity that the cloudy weather concealed the internal play of light from the windows. Perhaps with his brightness Sinan was trying to convey the youth of the deceased heir.

There were very few visitors to the mosque, perhaps due to inclement weather.

Like other similar buildings, madrasahs and other public buildings were attached to the Shehzade mosque. There is a prince's tomb in the courtyard - they are not allowed there. But some historical film or series was filmed in the buildings north of the mosque, maybe even a continuation of The Magnificent Century. Actors in historical costumes came out from there to smoke; it’s a pity that the photo turned out a little blurry.

And now we need to go from Shehzade, leaving her and Atatyuk Boulevard behind us. The second street to the left, down, and then up, up the hill. And before us is the main Istanbul masterpiece of Sinan - the Suleymaniye Mosque (Süleymaniye Camii). Having finished building a mosque for his son, Suleiman the Magnificent in 1550-1557, with the help of his chief architect, began to build a mosque for himself. The mosque is huge; due to the built-up area, the entire frame cannot fit into it; I’m not even sure that another wide-format camera could handle it, but I didn’t have that anyway. That's why best view to the mosque not close, but from below - from the Golden Horn or from Galata. The four minarets have symbolic meaning: Suleiman the Magnificent was fourth Ottoman Sultan, who ruled in Constantinople. And the tenth sultan of the dynasty, as ten balconies on the minarets remind. When developing the external appearance of the building that crowned the hill, Sinan sought to achieve extreme monumentalization. Having successfully used the technique of gradual “increase” in volumes during the transition from the cubic base to the dome, successfully used in Shah-zada, he further developed it. Pylons and powerful buttresses, rising domes between semi-domes and, finally, the main dome - all this enhanced the grandeur of Suleymaniye. At the same time, wanting to avoid some heaviness, Sinan emphasized the verticals of the walls with lancet windows and niches, made the dome higher compared to Shahzadeh, thanks to which Suleymaniye is not only monumental in silhouette, but has exceptional proportionality of shapes.

Adjacent to the mosque from the west front yard. An observatory was located in a two-story annex at the entrance (astronomical observations were necessary to accurately calculate the times of the five daily prayers). Monolithic columns of the courtyard - marble and porphyry

The construction of the mosque took quite a long time by Ottoman standards and lightning speed by European standards - seven years, using a financial scheme of trusts that was curious for the Middle Ages, when individual lands and estates were allocated from the treasury and the income from them was used exclusively to finance construction. Sinan spent a lot of time inventing and creating an unusually complex system of underground chambers and supports, which were designed to prevent the heavy building from sliding down the slope. This extremely irritated the Sultan: rumors spread that there were not enough funds for construction. As the Turkish historian and geographer of the 17th century narrates. Evliya Celebi, the Iranian Shah Tahmasp, having learned about Suleiman's intention, sent an embassy to him with rich gifts, including a casket full precious stones. In a letter to the Sultan, the Shah wrote: “I heard that you do not have the strength to complete the mosque and therefore you have decided not to build it anymore. Based on our friendship, I am sending you these gifts and stones. Use them as you wish, but still try to finish what you started, and in this way I will contribute my share to your pious work.” Enraged by the letter and gifts, Suleiman immediately, in front of the ambassadors, distributed gifts to Istanbul merchants, and handed the casket with stones to Sinan, saying: “These sparkling stones, which are supposedly considered expensive, have no price next to the simple stones of my mosque... Take them, mix them with the rest and use them in construction." The architect obeyed, decorating with them the edges and rosettes of one of the minarets, which from then on began to be called “Precious”. But this was the time of the zenith of the greatness of the Ottoman Empire, and the spirit of the era demanded to immortalize itself in stone on the third hill at any cost.

There are also the tombs of Suleiman the Magnificent-Kanuni and his wife Roksolana, but that part of the courtyard is under restoration. The architect of the mosque himself is buried there, who signed his creations as the architect of His Sultan Majesty. During his life, Sinan built about 300 buildings - mosques, schools, soup kitchens, hospitals, aqueducts, bridges, caravanserais, palaces, baths, mausoleums and fountains, most of which were built in Istanbul.

Inside Sulaymaniyah is truly a vast space. After passing through the high vaulted side galleries, one finds oneself in a prayer hall with a soaring perspective of a dome supported by four giant red and white arches resting on powerful pylons. Of course, as in other large mosques, the interior is completely devoid of Sofian intrigue; it is simple, you can immediately look at it in its entirety. The massive central dome is 53 meters high and 26.5 meters in diameter, which is 6 meters higher in height, but inferior in width to the dome of the Hagia Sophia, but nevertheless Sinan managed to achieve his dream - to build a dome larger than the dome of Hagia Sophia. It’s a pity, but only Muslims can go into the depths of the mosque; the rest are fenced off with railings at the entrance.

The main dome, supported by four wide pilasters on the east and west, has two hemispherical domes. On the north and south sides there are two large arcades, supported by two columns of red granite. One of these columns was brought from the Temple of Jupiter (Baalbek in Lebanon), the second from Alexandria, the third from the Istanbul Mosque, located in the nearest area from Suleymaniye, and finally, the last column is from the vicinity of Topkapi Palace. The columns are supposed to symbolize the four Islamic caliphs.

And more than once the proud Suleiman I, in a hurry to amaze the world with another miracle of his reign, hinted to Sinan about the bitter fate of the architect Atik, whose hand a century earlier Mehmed II ordered to be cut off. But Sinan turned out to be more stubborn and his arguments turned out to be effective - although Suleymaniye suffered from earthquakes, there were no fatal consequences, and this masterpiece of Istanbul architecture is simply a must-see for anyone who came to the Bosporus.

The last grandiose imperial building was the most famous and tourist-promoted giant mosque of Sultan Ahmed I (Sultan Ahmet Camii), also known as the Blue Mosque. Due to its expressive appearance and the massive open space between Sofia and Sultanahmet, the Blue Mosque is stunningly beautiful from a distance. and it is impossible to imagine Istanbul without her. The mosque, located directly opposite the Church of Hagia Sophia, was built in 1609-1616 and, according to the Sultan’s plan, was supposed to surpass the beauty of the famous temple. Location of two architectural masterpieces makes the area between them unique. For almost 400 years, these two monuments of two religions have stood opposite each other, competing in greatness, beauty, and perhaps even in righteousness.

The architect of the mosque was Mehmet Agha, a native of the Janissary corps, where he was an engineer of structures related to water supply and water canals. What is unusual about the Blue Mosque is that it has six minarets: four, as usual, on the sides, and two slightly less tall ones on the external corners courtyard. One legend says that the Sultan thereby angered the elders of the city of Mecca (the religious center of Islam), since no mosque could have more minarets than the Al-Haram Mosque there, which then had five minarets. The Sultan appeased the delegation from the offended elders with Solomon's decision, ordering the completion of two more minarets in Mecca.

You can get inside through the large front courtyard, but with the beginning of the season this path is often closed to everyone except the faithful, and tourists have to use the southern doors, from where they have to walk for a long time in single file along a long gallery with their own shoes in their hands, I walked myself. Behind the doors are eternal crowds of people; if you want to explore the Blue Mosque in detail, it is better to come here (as well as in Sofia) early in the morning. As in Sulaymaniyah, tourists are allocated approximately a third of the temple space in front of the fence.

The work of the architect Mehmed Agha, from the point of view of Ottoman architectural culture, did not make any special changes in the construction of mosques, but from the point of view of internal decoration and decoration, it left many buildings in the shadows. The layout of the mosque included Sinan's idea, which had previously been successfully used in the construction of the Shahzadeh mosque. The basis for the layout continued to be a 51 by 51 meter cube. The main dome of the complex, which is supported by descending semicircular domes, as well as all architectural details spherical and angular shapes, lined up, complement each other and in no way violate the integrity and harmony of the structure. All architectural excesses, corners and edges, acquired a certain roundness and plasticity of shape. In a word, the architect repeated all the best that is in Sofia and in the works of Mimar Sinan.

The diameter of the dome reaches 23.5 m. This huge dome and small spherical domes located around it are connected by arcades to the central part.

Main focus interior design made with painstaking work with Iznik tiles, white and blue flowers, which were used in interior decorations. In this way, Sultanahmed is very different from his more strict predecessors. Therefore, when you enter the mosque, you will rather admire the beauty of small patterns than the proportionality of architectural elements. But mosques must be different from each other in some way; some must be the most elegant.

I will not advocate for visiting the Blue Mosque - you cannot help but enter there. But alas, from the 17th century the Ottoman Empire began to weaken, first ceasing to win wars, and then beginning to lose them, and with them territories. The military and economic decline lasted for centuries, and the sultans were no longer in the mood for grandiose mosques. But one more religious building remains in history.

The Laleli Mosque (Laleli Camii), built by Sultan Mustafa III in 1759-1763 on the corner of the lane of the same name and Meza, is the last of the great imperial mosques of Istanbul. Sometimes it is believed that the mosque is called “Tulip” (From “laleli” - “tulip”), but I also read a version that it is named after the local saint Laleli Baba, whose grave is located nearby. Typically, imperial mosques were named after their creator, but to the chagrin of the Sultan, the saint turned out to be stronger.

The mosque was built on a high plinth, in the interior of which hides a real labyrinth of curved arched passages and wonderful rooms irregular shape. Directly under a huge mosque - it seems, in spite of common sense- not a powerful foundation, but a frivolous vaulted hall with eight playful columns and a fountain in the center. Now in all these underground holes there are cafes and tiny shops where the Turks invite you to leather or textile stores. A pleasant building, a mosque, decorated in the Baroque style, small and cozy, especially on a stormy evening, with a dome of only 12.5 meters and a vault height of up to 25 meters. I visited there on the very first day of my stay in Istanbul, and had not yet had the nerve to take a lot of photographs in mosques, and had not yet developed an eye for recognizing similar and unique architectural solutions inside. So here's my latest photo of this post inside Laleli:

That's all about mosques. You can take and go through all of them in the considered sequence. I will show you a few more temples when I write about the Egyptian Bazaar and Galata area. Next time we’ll walk a little around the Topkapi Palace complex.

Istanbul. Story. Legends. Legends of Ionina Nadezhda

Fatihchrkami (Mosque of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror)

Fatih Jami, visible from afar, is located on the top of Phanar Hill - just north of the place where the Church of the Holy Apostles once stood. Under the rule of the Latins, this temple experienced many destructions, robberies and sacrileges over the graves of emperors and patriarchs. After the conquest of Constantinople, Sultan Mehmed II did not touch the church for ten years, and in 1463 he ordered its destruction along with the Tsibis Temple and ordered the Greek architect Christodoulos to build a mosque on the vacant site. Its construction lasted several years, during which ashes and bones mixed with the rubble that went onto the foundation.

Fatih Jami is a domed building, and the entire mosque complex is one of the most outstanding and extremely interesting in its architecture. But, unfortunately, most of the buildings of this complex have not reached us, since in 1768 many of them were destroyed by an earthquake. This disaster erupted an hour after sunrise on the third day of Kurban Bayram (Feast of Sacrifice). The completely destroyed dome was subsequently restored, but, unfortunately, very little remains of the original Fatih Jami building. In the book “The Garden of Mosques” by H. Jevami, only the following is said about it: “Since two large elephant legs and two large porphyry columns were overturned and destroyed, the dome was erected on four pillars; the columns were buried in the ground.”

Currently, Fatih Jami occupies a huge space, and on both sides there are two minarets, each with two balconies. In front of the mosque there is a porch with galleries, the pointed arches of which support small domes covered with lead plates. On both sides of the main portal, balconies are attached to the windows, from which muezzins can hear prayers and repeat them to those who pray in the courtyard.

Inside, Fatih Cami is striking in its size, but it should be noted that it does not have the luxury that distinguishes the religious buildings of Istanbul of later eras. Almost from the very beginning it was given a strict, almost puritanical character. The walls of the mosque are decorated only with black ornaments on a white background. Light enters it through many windows located in six rows - one above the other. Inside, on the right side of the entrance, there is a small marble tablet, on which the calligrapher Timurji Chelebi carved in gold Arabic letters on a green background the words allegedly spoken by the Prophet Muhammad: “Constantinople will be taken! What an honor for the army that conquers it, and what glory for its leader!

In former times, around the mosque there was a hospital for the insane, a hospital, baths, a house for visiting clergy and other buildings. Among them stood out the highest and primary school, with the construction of which Sultan Mehmed II seemed to want to recall the covenant of Islam: “The most sacred war is that waged not against infidels, but against ignorance.” Next to the houses of worship there were kitchens that fed the city's poor daily with bread and a two-hot meal.

Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror was buried in the garden near the mosque, above whose grave the tallest tomb in Istanbul rises. Inside, its walls are decorated with sayings from the Koran; The tombstone is surrounded by a beautiful wooden balustrade, at the corners of which there are four huge candles, and is covered with gold embroidered fabrics. On top of them lies a large turban. In other mausoleums, the Sultan's beloved wife Gulbahor (mother of Sultan Bayezid II) and various state dignitaries are buried.