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The Nuruosmaniye Mosque (Nuruosmaniye Camii) is one of the most beautiful mosques in Istanbul, Turkey, from an architectural standpoint.
History of the Nuruosmaniye Mosque
Located in Çemberlitaş next to a gate to the Grand Bazaar, the Nuruosmaniye Mosque was built in the baroque style between 1749 and 1755. It was commissioned by Sultan Mahmud I and completed by Sultan Osman III. The architects were Mustafa Ağa and Simeon Kalfa (d. 1761).
The name of the mosque means the light of Osman, after Osman III and the 174 windows that allow sunlight into the prayer hall. The mosque has two minarets, each with two balconies.
The Nuruosmaniye Mosque was built on the site of the Fatma Hatun Mosque, which was dedicated to the wife of Ottoman scholar Hoca Sadettin Efendi (1537-1599). The older mosque started to collapse, prompting Sultan Mahmud I to commission a new one.
Features of the Nuruosmaniye Mosque
The Nuruosmaniye Mosque has several interesting features, both architectural and aesthetic.
Courtyard
The courtyard of the Nuruosmaniye Mosque has a unique design in Ottoman architecture. It’s in the shape of a horseshoe and there’s no ablutions fountain (şadirvan) in the center.
Prayer Hall
The prayer hall is beautifully decorated with marble and stained glass windows. The sultan’s loge sits on the left side. The windows are spread out over five levels.
Dome
The dome is the fourth largest in Istanbul after Hagia Sophia, the Süleymaniye Mosque, and the Fatih Mosque. It’s 25 meters (82 feet) in diameter and 43.5 meters (142.7 feet) high.
Nuruosmaniye Mosque Complex
The Nuruosmaniye Mosque was part of a large complex including a fountain, madrasa, soup kitchen, tomb, a private lodge for the sultan and his family, shops, and a library.
Shops
First of all, shops were built to provide income for the mosque’s upkeep. They continue to line Vezirhan Street even today.
Fountains
Marble water fountains sit on either side of the gates to the complex. The fountain to the left is rectangular while the one on the right is circular and more elegant.
Madrasa and Soup Kitchen
The madrasa (medrese), which is to the south of the mosque, contained 20 domed rooms around a courtyard with a large domed classroom. It’s attached to the soup kitchen (imaret). The main entrances were within the complex gates but both are better seen from Çemberlitaş Square.
Library
The library contained over 7,000 volumes making up the personal collections of Mahmud I and Osman III. The collection has since been moved to the Süleymaniye Library at the Süleymaniye Mosque Complex.
Imperial Pavilion
The Imperial Pavilion (Hünkâr Kasrı) was a private lodge for the sultan and his family. It’s a three-story building with an elevated corridor allowing for private access to the sultan’s loge inside the mosque.
Tomb of Şehsuvar Sultan
Finally, the tomb of Şehsuvar Sultan (c. 1682-1756) sits hidden in the garden behind the Imperial Pavilion. She was the mother of Osman III and a consort to Sultan Mustafa II. She’s buried alongside other members of the Ottoman royal family. The tomb was originally meant for Mahmud I but he died before its completion.
