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The The Suleymaniye hamam complex is located in Suleymaniye, the neighborhood of Eminonu named after it. It was built by Sultan Suleyman, the Magnificent in 1557 and designed by Architect Sinan.
 The Suleymaniye Complex represented the second and most important stage in an architectural tradition which began with the Fatih Complex, namely a symmetrical grouping and use of geometric shaping among the layout of the complex buildings. Of unprecedented size and architectural design, the Suleymaniye Complex includes a mosque, medresse, hospital, lunatic asylum, infirmary tombs, a hamam, a market and a primary school.
The Suleymaniye Mosque is an awesome work of art, dating from a time when the Ottoman state was at its most splendid. Grandeur symbolized the period. The mosques, which were the most important feature of the silhouette of Ýstanbul, were not just places of worship. The complexes and neighborhoods which surrounded them made them into focus of social and cultural life, an institution which characterized city life.
The Suleymaiye Mosque and Complex incorporate the art and genius of Architect Sinan, the greatness and strenght of the Ottomans and the beauty and elegance of Istanbul.
During the construction of the mosque, one of the largest building supply sheds in the history of architecture was realized. The supplies were brought from all corners of the Empire. The columns found in some ancient ruins were detached, brought to Istanbul and used in the interior of the mosque.
The mosque is surrounded by an outer courtyard with the kiblah, or direction to Mecca, being on one Side along with an enclosed cemetery containing graves and a mausoleum; the opposite side of the kiblah contains an inner courtyard.
The marble-covered inner courtyard is entered through a magnificent three-storey door the likes of which are seen in no other mosque in Istanbul. The courtyard contains a pool and water-jet fountain. Again unlike other mosques, the four minarets stand in the four corners of the courtyard. The proportion exhibited by the minarets and the domes is a product of genius.
The domes rise from the ground to a height of 50 meters, and the minarets located where the courtyard meets the walls of the mosque have three galleries and are 76 meters high. The minarets located at the side of the courtyard with the entrance have two galleries and are 56 meters high. This proportion is the key to the perfection of the mosque's silhouette.
The mosque has a main dome supported by two half-domes. Due to the design of the domes, the acoustics within the mosque are exceptionally clear. The air circulation within the mosque is also exceptional and the space above the entrance is illuminated by 4000 candles. Soot obtained from the candles is one of the raw materials in the making of ink used for calligraphy.
The marble pulpit and mosque niche are works of art in the field of engraving and carving. The carved lectern of the preacher, window and doors of wood inlaid with mother-of-pearl, stained glass windows and other decorative features of mosques have a low profile; the emphasis in the interior of the mosque is on decorative through calligraphy.
The clinic, hospital, mental asylum and infirmary are located in the northwest of the complex parallel to the kiblah. The soup kitchen of the complex the Daruzziyafe, functions today as a restaurant serving classical Turkish Cuisine.
The kiblah side of the mosque has a covered cemetery with a great number of graves, the tombs of Suleyman, the Magnificent and his wife Hurrem Sultan and a room for the keeper of the tombs. |
