teradesa.com Besides the iconic Blue Mosque, there is the Suleymaniye Mosque which is also so beautiful. This mosque was built since the Ottoman Empire era.
Suleymaniye Mosque is located in Süleymaniye Mah Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey. The mosque was built during the reign of Sultan Suleyman I, known as Suleyman the Magnificent. Construction began around 1550 and was completed in 1557.
visited there some time ago. At first glance, the Suleymaniye Mosque is similar to the Blue Mosque, but different. The Suleymaniye Mosque was designed by architect Sinan, with 4 minarets as high as 56 meters and 76 meters, and a large blue dome with a diameter of 26.6 meters. On the roof there are many more small domes that are beautifully installed.
Entering the gate, detikTravel walked along the path to the spacious mosque courtyard. On one side of the path there is a burial area. There are tombs of the sultan, his family and empress.
Arriving at the end of the road, you can see a large courtyard with green grass, trees and garden lights that are neatly placed. That day the winter air was quite friendly, ranging from 5 to 8 degrees Celsius. Travelers who were enjoying the atmosphere in the mosque courtyard were quite crowded.
At the ends of the courtyard, it is surrounded by thick walls. Many travelers stand near this wall, some are just enjoying the view or taking pictures. Apparently the view of Istanbul looks so beautiful from here.
The position of the mosque on the hill makes the city view visible without the obstruction of other buildings. The view of the sea to the Galata Tower is visible in the distance. Meanwhile, if you look down, outside this vast wall there are paths and buildings that are also small domed.
According to the guide, these buildings are still included in the Suleymaniye Mosque complex, which covers a total area of around 70,000 square meters. In the past, the mosque complex was not only built for places of worship but also around public facilities such as madrassas, hospitals, schools, libraries, hammam baths and shops.
Satisfied with seeing the beauty on the outside, it’s time to enter the mosque. Among the green grass, a path is made to the entrance. We pass through the outer side with a wudu area for men, while the women’s wudu area is in a closed place.
Before entering the mosque, you must take off your shoes. Women are asked to wear a blue cloth to cover their heads, out of respect for the place of worship. Anyone is welcome to visit the mosque, either for worship or religious tourism.
The inside of the mosque is beautifully made. The top is decorated with calligraphy. Lights hang from the ceiling and are arranged in a circle. If you pay attention, among the many chandeliers, ostrich eggs are also placed to repel spiders.
Then on the inside of the mosque there are 4 main pillars, mihrab and pulpit made of marble, muezzin mahfili aka a special place for muezzin, to hunkar mahfili which used to be a place for sultans and leaders to worship more safely. The floor of the mosque is also covered with marble.
Now this mosque can be visited by tourists every day. To reach it is not difficult. If from the Blue Mosque area, for example, a traveler can take the tram and get off at Laleli-Universite. From here, just continue walking to the mosque.