Sacred Places

Arab Mosque

Arab Mosque
Located in the Galata district of Istanbul on Tersane Avenue and Galata Mahkemesi Street, the Arab Mosque is the greatest mosque of the Galata side, and there is no specific information detailing when and by whom the mosque was built. Although there are legends saying that the mosque was built by Arabs surrounding Istanbul, the…
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Zal Mahmud Paşa Mosque

Zal Mahmud Paşa Mosque
The Zal Mahmud Paşa Complex was built between Zal Paşa Street and Defterdar Street in the Eyüp district. Zal Mahmud, the Vizier of Suleiman the Magnificient and his wife Şah Sultan, a daughter of Sultan Selim II, had it built by Sinan the Architecture (the grand master of Ottoman architecture). The complex is composed of…
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Şebsefa Hatun Mosque

Şebsefa Hatun Mosque
The Şebsefa Hatun Mosque, built in 1787, is situated in the Zeyrek neighborhood of the Eminönü District, as well as along Ataturk Boulevard. Its construction was commissioned by Şebsefa Hatun, a wife of Abdulhamid I (1725 -1789). She had it built in commemoration of her son. When it was brought together with the Sıbyan Mektebi…
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Nusretiye Mosque

Nusretiye Mosque
There was previously a mosque located on the site of the current Mosque, which was known as the Mosque of the Artillery Barracks (Tophane-i Amire Arabacilar Kislasi Camii) built by Selim III (1789-1807). When that mosque was destroyed by the Firuzaga fire, the Nusretiye Mosque, located on Meclis-i Mebusan Street in the Tophane District of…
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Valide Mosque

Valide Mosque
The Valide Mosque stands at the very beginning of the Atatürk Boulevard, at the crossroads of the Aksaray Square. It was built on the order of Pertevniyal Sultan, the mother of Abdulaziz (1861-1876), and was constructed by the Sarkis Balyan in 1871. It is claimed by some sources that the architecture of the mosque was…
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Zeyrek Church Mosque

Zeyrek Church Mosque
The Zeyrek Church Mosque is a church converted into a mosque, located on a hillside overlooking the Golden Horn (Haliç) on Ibadethane Street in the Zeyrek neighborhood of Fatih District. It was formerly the Church of the Monastery of Pantocractor, believed to have been built in the late-middle Byzantine period. Its construction was commenced by…
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Kalenderhane Mosque

Kalenderhane Mosque
Kalenderhane Mosque is a church converted into a mosque by the Ottomans. It is located near the Girls’ Dormitory in Vezneciler on 16th March Martyrs Street in the Vezneciler District of Eminönü county. It isn’t exactly known when the church was built, but it is assumed to have been built between the 9th and 12th…
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Hagia Sofia

Hagia Sofia
The historical church rises across the Blue Mosque in Eminönü district. It was known as “Megale Ekklesia” (Great Church) during the first construction phase of the monument and its present name “Aya Sofia” has been used since late fifth-century. It was inagurated on February 15th, 360 A.D and partially on fire in 404 A.D. Later,…
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Firuz Aga Mosque

Firuz Aga Mosque
The mosque, located on Divanyolu, just in front of the Tramway Station of Sultanahmet, was built by Firuz Ağa, head treasurer of Sultan Bayezit II. (1447- 1512) in 1491. It has a square plan with a dome and reflects Bursa style. It was built from cut stone and placed on an octagonal tambour. Windows composed…
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Ahi Celebi Mosque

Ahi Celebi Mosque
It is estimated that Ahi Chelebi Mosque, which was placed at a corner where Yogurtçular Street intersects with Değirmen Street in Eminonu district, was built between 1480-1500. It was built by Tabib Kemal Ahi Can Tebrizi, placed with rectangular planning and with a dome supported by two arches. He had worked as the head doctor…
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