Atik Valide Mosque

Designed by architect Sinan for Nurbanu Valide Sultan, mother of Selim III, this mosque was built in 1570-79 in the Topkapi neighborhood of Üsküdar. It is an entire complex consisting of the mosque, university, dervish lodge, children's school, seminary, Koran school, soup kitchen, hospital and bathhouse. The mosque, which holds the central position in the complex, took its present shape in three stages. The fountain courtyard, bordering on the north, east and west sides A the mosque, has four gates. The most significant tile decorations in the mosque are wall panels near the altar (mihrab). The wooden door and window shutters are decorated with ivory and mother-of-pearl carvings.

Bayezit Mosque

Sultan Bayezit II built this mosque in central Istanbul in 1500-1505.
The architects are believed to be Kemaledin and Hayreddin. The composition, architectural design and decor of the mosque and the various surrounding buildings represent an important stage in the history of Turkish architecture. In the complex are a shrine (tomb), soup kitchen, children's school, printing houses, university, bathhouse and a caravanserai.
The interior of the mosque is square and is enclosed by a central dome in the middle and two half-domes supporting the central one. The arches of the mosque portal are of red and white marble. The altar (mihrab), pulpit (minber), muezzin's pews entrance walls and women's section display fine stone masonry work. The door and window shutters are masterpieces of wood carving. The covered courtyard is linked by three gates.

Dolmabahce Mosque

Designed by Garabet Balyan, the building was initiated in 1853 by Bezmialem Valide Sultan, mother of Sultan Abdülmecit. After his mother's death, Abdülmecit completed the work in 1855. The mosque has an obvious geometric structure with its 25 x 25 meter base and rectangular shaped two-storey royalty section. It is one of the latest examples of the ampir (empire) style of the mid-19th century.

Eyüp Sultan Mosque

The mosque is named in memory of Eyyub el-Ensari, a saint who died a martyr during the siege of Istanbul by the Omeyyads in 668. The mosque complex was built by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror around the shrine to Eyüp. Since then it has been the mosque most frequently visited by the Muslim population of the city on occasions of marriage, circumcision and death.
Its importance is also indicated by the fact that the sword-girding ceremonies of the Ottoman sultans were conducted here. The complex, which was enlarged by various sultans, includes a university, soup kitchen and bathhouse. It has remained in its present form since Ahmet I.

Fatih Mosque

This is the city's first royal mosque and complex.
Just after the conquest of the city in 1453, Mehmet the Conqueror (fatih) had the mosque built in the heart of the city on the wholly symmetrical design of architect Atik Sinan. It has a university, printing house, mental hospital, bazaar and bathhouse.

Hirka-i Serif Mosque

Located in the Fatih neighborhood, this mosque was built in the ampir (empire) style in 1851 by Sultan Abdülmecit for the purpose of housing the cloak of the Prophet Mohammed which had been given to Veysel Karani. The holy cloak is preserved inside an octagonal-shaped prism.

Laleli Mosque

This mosque, allegedly designed by architect Mehmet Aga, is located in Eminönü neighborhood. Built in 1763 during the reign of Mustafa III, the complex consists of the mosque, a soup kitchen, fountain, drinking water distribution center, shrine, inn, university, timekeeper's clock room, housing for the clergymen, and several shops.

Mihrimah Sultan Mosque

Located in the square of Üsküdar, the mosque was designed by the architect Sinan and built in 1548 by Mihrimah Sultan, daughter of Suleyman the Magnificent. The complex consists of the mosque, university, guest house, stable, pantry, granary and inn. The two main pillars of the mosque interior are designed as a four-leaf clover.

Nuruosmaniye Mosque

This mosque stands at the entrance of the Grand Bazaar in the Eminönü neighborhood.
The architect was Simeon and it was built by Mahmud I in 1755. The complex consists of the mosque, soup kitchen, university, library, shrine, drinking water distribution center, a fountain and several shops. Its style is distinguished from other mosques built up until that time in that the altar is polygon shaped.

Nusretiye Mosque

One of the 19th century royal mosques, Nusretiye is located on Medis-i Mebusan Caddesi in Tophane neighborhood.It is more widely known among thepopulation as the Tophane Mosque. Built by Mahmud II in 1826, its architect was Kirkor Amira Balyan. In the stone courtyard is a fountain with 12 taps and a pointed spire supported by ten slim columns.

Ortaköy Mosque

The mosque is situated at waterside of the Ortaköy Pier square, one of the most beautiful locations on the Bosphorus. Built by Sultan Abdülmecid in 1853, its architect was Nikolos Balyan who designed it in neo-Baroque style. The wide, high windows let the ever-changing light reflections of the Bosphorus shine in the mosque.

Sultanahmet Mosque (The Blue Mosque)

	This is the only mosque in the world with six minarets. Built by Ahmet I between 1609 and 1616, its architect was Sedefkar Mehmet Aga. Its dome is 23.5 meters wide and 43 meters high. The mosque's fame derives most from its beautiful interior tiles with flower and tree motifs manufactured at the end of the high period of the great Iznik workshops.
The shrine near the mosque houses the tombs of Ahmet I and his wife Kosem Sultan. On the east side of the mosque is the Arasta, a bazaar for the various tradesmen guilds The Hunkar (royal) Mansion at the north side is today's Carpet and Kilim Museum.

Sehzade Mosque

The first royal mosque complex built by architect Sinan, the Sehzade Mosque is located at Sehzadebasi in Eminönü overlooking both the Golden Horn and the Marmara Sea. The complex consists of the mosque, university, printing house, stable, school, soup kitchen and the burial shrine of Crown Prince Mehmet to whom it was dedicated. It had been the vain wish of Suleyman that this son would succeed him to the throne.

Semsi Pasha Mosque

This classic Ottoman style mosque stands along the seashore at Harem in Üsküdar district. Built by Semsi Ahmed Pasha in 1580, it was the smallest of the mosque complexes designed by architect Sinan. The shrine is combined with the mosque and next to it a university. The local population sometimes refer to it as the Kuskonmaz Mosque.

Sultan Selim Mosque

Sultan Selim's son, it was built by Suleyman the Magnificent, in the Fatih neighborhood in 1522. The architect is not known for certain. The complex consists of the mosque, the shrine of Sultan Selim I, soup kitchen, university, mental hospital and dining hall.

Suleymaniye Mosque

This mosque of architect Sinan was built in the Eminönü neighborhood by Suleyman the Magnificent in 1557. It stands as a symbol of the mature genius of Sinan and the power of Suleyman. Its design and wide domes represent an important development in Ottoman mosque architecture.
Above the entrance gate is a chamber that serves to draw out of the interior the polluted air caused by smoky oil lamps and candles and exchange it with fresh air from the outside. Ink made of the lampblack in this room , is said to be of very high quality.

Valide Mosque

Located at Aksaray Square, the mosque was built by Pertevniyal Valide Sultan, mother of Sultan Abdülaziz, and the architect was Sarkis Balyan. The foundations were laid in 1869 and construction completed in 1871. The complex consists of the mosque, school, shrine, timekeepers' clock room and water distribution center. The design differs from other 19th century mosques with regard to its mass and the richness and variety of the decoration on the facades. The interior design is in the neo-Gothic style.

Yenicami

This mosque built in Eminönü was to be dedicated to Safiye Sultan, mother of Sultan Mehmet III. Work started in 1597 and after the death of its architect Davud Aga, architect Dalgiç Ahmet Aga took over the work. When Ahmet I took the throne in 1603 construction was stopped and Ahmet concentrated on the building of hisnew mosque, Sultanahmet. Work on Yenicami was resumed by Hatice Sultan in 1661 and completed in 1663. This well-loved mosque is an integral component of the Istanbul Galata Bridge landscape.