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Nişanca is a neighborhood in the Eyüp district of Istanbul. It contains a few historic mosques and is located just south of central Eyüp.
Feshane
First, on the main road running along the Golden Horn through Nişanca is Feshane. It was built in 1839 by Sultan Abdülmecid I to supply uniforms for the Ottoman Army. The need for the factory dates back to 1826, when Sultan Mahmud II abolished the Janissary corps and modernized military uniforms. He also banned the turban and adopted the fez as the official headgear of the Ottoman Empire.
Later on, the Ottoman Army began purchasing their uniforms from Austria but demand for the fez was still high. It was worn by nearly every member of high society, including both Muslims and non-Muslims. The building began producing the fez exclusively until it was banned in 1925 after the foundation of the Turkish Republic.
Feshane was transformed into a museum of handicrafts in 1992, but became unusable a few years later when water entered the building from the Golden Horn. Restoration began in 1998 and it now serves as an international fair and congress center. The building holds meetings, seminars, exhibitions, galas, concerts, and cultural events.
Zal Mahmud Pasha Mosque
A block west of Feshane on Zalpaşa Street is the Zal Mahmud Pasha Mosque (Zal Mahmud Paşa Camii). It was designed by Mimar Sinan (1490-1588) and built between 1577 and 1590. Restorations took place between 1955 and 1963 and again between 2012 and 2015.
The mosque was endowed by Zal Mahmud Pasha and Şah Sultan, who both died of an illness on November 3, 1577. Zal Mahmud Pasha was a vizier under Süleyman the Magnificent while Şah Sultan (1544-1577) was the daughter of Sultan Selim II.
The mosque complex includes a madrasa, fountain, and the tomb of Zal Mahmud Pasha. The madrasa surrounds the courtyard while another attached madrasa runs towards the Golden Horn. The tomb of Zal Mahmud Pasha sits behind the mosque to the east.
The prayer hall contains aisles on each side, supported by four columns. There’s a single main dome and the mihrab is surrounded by Iznik tiles. Windows let in plenty of natural light to admire the mosque’s beauty.
Selahi Mehmed Efendi Mosque
Directly across the street from the Zal Mahmud Pasha Mosque is the small Selahi Mehmed Efendi Mosque (Selahi Mehmed Efendi Camii). The construction date is unknown, and it has a hexagonal minaret that’s only seen at a few mosques in Istanbul.
Tomb of Nakkaş Hasan Pasha
Just north of the two mosques is the tomb of Nakkaş Hasan Pasha (Nakkaş Hasan Paşa Türbesi). Nakkaş Hasan Pasha (d. 1621) was a vizier under Sultan Osman II. The tomb was designed by Dalgıç Ahmed Ağa (d. 1608) and contains 12 burials.
Cezr-i Kasım Pasha Mosque
A short walk south of the two mosques is the Cezr-i Kasım Pasha Mosque (Cezr-i Kasım Paşa Camii). It was built in 1515 by Cezeri Kasım Pasha, a vizier under Sultan Selim I. It’s a small mosque with four columns supporting the front porch.
Defterdar Mosque
Finally, a short walk south of Feshane is the Defterdar Mosque (Defterdar Camii). It was built in 1541 by Defterdar Nazlı Mahmud Efendi (1500-1552), a calligrapher and bookkeeper under Süleyman the Magnificent. The architect was Mimar Sinan.
The mosque was once topped by a dome, but it suffered damage in a 1768 earthquake and has since been replaced with a flat roof. The roof has an ink pot and pen on top rather than a crescent, indicating the profession of its builder. The tomb of Mahmud Efendi is next to the mosque.
