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Bağlarbaşı is one of the busiest areas of the district of Üsküdar in Istanbul, Turkey. It’s easily accessible via a stop the M5 metro line.
Introduction to Bağlarbaşı
Bağlarbaşı doesn’t really have anything of value for tourists, but it has to closest metro stop to the Tiled Mosque (8 minute walk) and Atik Valide Mosque (15 minute walk). To make the most out of your trip, you can stop and see the landmarks below on your way to the mosques.
Bağlarbaşı Surp Haç Armenian Cemetery
Once I exited the metro at Bağlarbaşı station, I immediately saw the gates to a large cemetery directly across the street. The Bağlarbaşı Surp Haç Armenian Cemetery (Bağlarbaşı Surp Haç Ermeni Mezarlığı) was founded in 1551 and consists of two sections. The southern section belongs to the Surp Garabed Church Foundation while the northern section belongs to the Surp Haç Church Foundation.
The cemetery was surrounded by high walls in 1885. Several important Armenians who contributed to Ottoman society are buried there, including poet Mateos Zarifyan (1894-1924); architect Sarkis Balyan (1835-1899); Patriarch Yegise Turyan (1860-1930); and poet Bedros Turyan (1851-1872).
Bağlarbaşı Greek Cemetery
Smaller plots of land on the same block belong to the Bağlarbaşı Greek Cemetery (Bağlarbaşı Rum Mezarlığı) and the Bağlarbaşı Jewish Cemetery (Bağlarbaşı Musevi Mezarlığı).
Marmara University Faculty of Theology Mosque
Directly south of the cemetery is the Marmara University Faculty of Theology Mosque (Marmara Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Camii). Construction on this interesting modern mosque started in 2012 and it opened to prayer on October 23, 2015. It replaced an older mosque built in 1982 that was demolished because it wasn’t earthquake resistant.
The mosque design incorporates Turkish triangles traditionally used in Seljuk and Ottoman architecture. My favorite feature is the domed ceiling, which was created using overlapping wooden beams and glass. It was designed to show the effect of light and shadow on space, and was inspired by the nautilus.
Prophet Elijah Greek Orthodox Church
In the neighborhood to the west are two churches serving the local Greek and Armenian communities. First is the Prophet Elijah Greek Orthodox Church (Προφήτης Ἠλίας Χρυσουπόλεως / Profiti İlya Kilisesi).
The church was first mentioned in the year 950 as a monastery. Tradition says a later church was built in 1585 with funds from Nurbanu Sultan (1525-1583), the mother of Sultan Murad III, who may have been Greek. The church was rebuilt in 1804 and again in 1851.
Surp Garabed Armenian Church
A couple blocks away is Surp Garabed Armenian Church (Surp Garabed Ermeni Kilisesi). It was originally built in 1555 and repaired in 1617 by Ottoman Armenian architect Sarkis Kalfa. Today’s church was built in 1888.
Surp Garabed Armenian Church features twin bell towers made of cut stone. It was repaired in 2006 and reopened to worship by Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II.
Tiled Mosque
A short walk from the church you’ll find the Tiled Mosque (Çinili Camii). In my opinion, it’s one of the most underrated and undervisited mosques in Istanbul.
The Tiled Mosque was built between 1638 and 1640 by Kösem Sultan (1589-1651), the wife of Sultan Ahmed I and the mother of Sultans Murad IV and Ibrahim. The architect was Kasım Ağa. The complex consisted of a madrasa, an elementary school, three fountains, a hamam, and a tomb. The mosque was repaired in 1938 and 1965.
The mosque can be a bit difficult to find and was locked when I arrived. Fortunately, the caretaker was nice enough to ask the imam to open it for me. The imam was very enthusiastic about the mosque and answered all of my questions.
The Tiled Mosque doesn’t look like much from the outside but the prayer hall is stunning. It’s almost completely covered in blue and white Iznik tiles. The pictures don’t do it justice. In fact, when the imam turned the lights on, my jaw dropped.
Atik Valide Mosque
The Atik Valide Mosque (Atik Valide Camii) isn’t technically in Bağlarbaşı, but it’s only about a 15 minute walk from the Bağlarbaşı metro station. Otherwise, you can either take a short taxi ride or walk there in about 20 minutes from Üsküdar Square.
The large Atik Valide Complex (Atik Valide Külliyesi) was built by architect Mimar Sinan (1490-1588). It was commissioned by Nurbanu Sultan (1525-1583), mother of Murad III and chief consort of Selim II. It was one of two great mosque complexes built by Mimar Sinan in Constantinople. The complex contained a madrasa, hospital, medical school, caravanserai, hamam, Quran recital school, dervish convent, elementary school, and more. The hospital operated well into the 20th century.
The mosque was originally planned as a small mosque with a single minaret but the plans kept expanding. It was built in three stages from 1571 to 1586. The first stage included the mosque itself and lasted from 1571 to 1574. That stage was overseen by another architect because Mimar Sinan was based in Edirne at the time building the Selimiye Mosque.
The second stage took place between 1577 and 1578. This involved the addition of a second minaret and a double portico. The third and final stage occurred after the death of Nurbanu Sultan. It involved the expansion of the mosque and the addition of two small domes. It took place between 1584 and 1586.
Prayer Hall of the Atik Valide Mosque
The prayer hall of the mosque is beautifully decorated. It’s topped by a dome 12.7 meters (42 feet) in diameter, supported on 6 arches arranged in a hexagon. The mihrab is covered with Iznik tiles. For a virtual tour, click here.
