The most beautiful mosques in Istanbul: 12 mosques to visit

Before you visit: the common rules

Every mosque in this guide is a working place of worship. They close to visitors during the five daily prayers, whose times change every day with the sun, and on Fridays until the end of the main midday prayer, around 2.30pm. Clothing must cover shoulders and knees, women cover their hair, and shoes come off before you go in. Our guide to visiting a mosque in Istanbul explains these rules in detail, and our portrait of Mimar Sinan tells the story of the architect behind half of this selection.

The must-sees of Sultanahmet and the old city

1. Hagia Sophia, the basilica turned mosque

Built from 532 to 537 under Justinian, Hagia Sophia was the great church of Constantinople for nearly a thousand years, then a mosque, a museum, and a mosque again since 2020. Its dome, about 31 m across, crowns a vast nave; Byzantine mosaics in the upper gallery, such as the Deësis, sit alongside the great calligraphic roundels. Since 15 January 2024, foreign visitors pay €25 for a route through the gallery, the ground floor being reserved for prayer. Visits are suspended on Fridays from noon to 2pm.

2. The Blue Mosque, with its six minarets

Facing Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque), built from 1609 to 1617, is recognisable from afar by its six minarets. Inside, more than 21,000 Iznik tiles and the blue paintwork of the domes earned it its nickname. Entry is free; visitors use a separate door on the side, and on Fridays visits only resume at 2.30pm. Restored from 2018 to April 2023, it is one of the busiest: come at opening time, 8.30am.

3. Süleymaniye, Sinan's masterpiece in Istanbul

On the Third Hill, the Süleymaniye Mosque, built from 1550 to 1557 for Suleiman the Magnificent, is the largest 16th-century imperial mosque in Istanbul. The dome rises to 53 m, the four minarets carry ten balconies, and the garden of tombs, where Suleiman and Roxelana lie, overlooks the Golden Horn. Less crowded than the Blue Mosque, it makes for a calmer visit.

4. Rüstem Pasha, the finest Iznik tiles

Hidden above the shops of Tahtakale, near the Spice Bazaar, the Rüstem Pasha Mosque is entirely clad in Iznik tiles from the 1560s: about 2,300 tiles in some 80 patterns. The hall is small but stunning. In late September 2026, the press reported works on the building and its shops: check on site that the hall is still open.

5. The New Mosque (Yeni Cami), on the Eminönü waterfront

At the end of the Galata Bridge, the New Mosque is new in name only: begun in 1597 at the request of Safiye Sultan, mother of Mehmed III, it was only completed in 1665 by Turhan Hatice Sultan, mother of Mehmed IV. Its cascade of domes above the ferry piers is the classic image of Eminönü; inside, Iznik tiles cover the walls and the sultan's loge. A restoration begun in 2016 was completed in 2022.

Lesser-known imperial mosques

6. Şehzade, Sinan's apprentice work

A short walk from the Aqueduct of Valens, the Şehzade Mosque (1543-1548) is Sinan's first imperial mosque, built for Suleiman's son who died aged 21. Its dome ringed by four half-domes, its two-tone arches and its two carved minarets can be enjoyed in peace, with hardly any tourists.

7. Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, the stones of the Kaaba

In the hilly Kadırga district, ten minutes' walk from the Hippodrome, the Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque (1571-1572) hides a mihrab wall lined with Iznik tiles and fragments of the Black Stone of the Kaaba, above the door, the mihrab and the minbar. Come just after a prayer: at other times it is sometimes locked.

8. Mihrimah Sultan at Edirnekapı, the mosque of light

On the highest point of the old city, near the Theodosian Walls, the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque was built by Sinan in the 1560s for Suleiman's daughter. Its single 20 m dome rests on four almost fully glazed arches: it is one of the brightest interiors in Istanbul. Combine it with Chora (Kariye), about ten minutes' walk away.

9. Fatih, the Conqueror's mosque

The Fatih Mosque bears the name of Mehmed II, who took Constantinople in 1453 and had a first mosque built from 1463 to 1470. Destroyed by the 1766 earthquake, it was rebuilt under Mustafa III and reopened in 1771. Mehmed II's tomb stands behind the mosque, in the cemetery. On Wednesdays, the Fatih market takes over the surrounding streets.

By the water and on the Asian shore

10. Eyüp Sultan, the most revered shrine

At the head of the Golden Horn, the Eyüp Sultan Mosque surrounds the tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad. Rebuilt after the 1766 earthquake and inaugurated in 1800 under Selim III, it is a much-visited place of pilgrimage, especially on Fridays and during religious holidays. Our Eyüp and Pierre Loti Hill page covers the visit and the cable car.

11. Ortaköy, the mosque beneath the Bosphorus Bridge

Built around 1854-1856 by the Balyan architects, who designed Dolmabahçe Palace, the Ortaköy Mosque stands at the water's edge in front of the Bosphorus Bridge. Its neo-baroque style, large windows and sunset silhouette make it one of the most photographed views in the city. Entry is free.

12. The Grand Çamlıca Mosque, the largest in Turkey

On Çamlıca Hill, on the Asian side, the Grand Çamlıca Mosque, opened in 2019, can hold 63,000 worshippers. Its six minarets, four of them 107.1 m tall, can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. The complex also includes a museum, an art gallery and a library. It is Ottoman architecture revisited for the 21st century, best combined with the nearby Çamlıca Tower.

Summary

Prices checked in October 2026. All close to visitors during prayers.

Also worth a look

• Little Hagia Sophia: the former 6th-century Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, next to Kadırga.
• The Zeyrek Mosque: the former Byzantine Pantocrator monastery, above the Golden Horn.
• Pammakaristos (Fethiye): a Byzantine church turned mosque, with a mosaic chapel.
• Kılıç Ali Paşa: Sinan's mosque in Tophane, inspired by Hagia Sophia; see our Galata and Karaköy guide.
• The mosques of Üsküdar: Mihrimah Sultan opposite the pier, Şemsi Pasha by the water and Atik Valide on the heights.

Our tips for planning your visits

• In one day: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Süleymaniye can be combined on foot; add Rüstem Pasha on the way down to Eminönü.
• On Fridays: visit in the morning, then wait until around 2.30pm; Hagia Sophia reopens at 2pm.
• Beating the crowds: the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia are the busiest, so come at opening time; Sinan's mosques outside Sultanahmet are much calmer.
• During Ramadan: mosques are busier in the evening; our Ramadan in Istanbul page explains what changes for visitors.

Further reading

For a day devoted to the architect of the Süleymaniye, follow our Mimar Sinan in Istanbul itinerary. Our Sultanahmet guide places Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque among the other monuments, and Istanbul in one day fits them into a full programme.