Nusretiye Mosque and Tophane: Empire Style on the Bosphorus

Updated on October 8, 2026

On the Bosphorus shore between Karaköy and Galataport, the Nusretiye Mosque ("the Victorious") is one of the best examples of the shift from Ottoman Baroque to the Empire style. It was built between 1823 and 1826 for Sultan Mahmud II by Krikor Balyan, the first architect of the Armenian Balyan family, who would go on to build much of 19th-century Istanbul. Its name recalls Mahmud II's victory over the Janissaries, abolished in 1826. It was part of a complex that also included new artillery barracks at Tophane ("the cannon gate"). Free entry outside prayer times; allow 15 to 20 minutes, plus a walk around the district.

Highlights

The mosque's silhouette

Two very slender minarets frame a white volume crowned by a main dome and side domes. The lines are plainer than those of 18th-century Baroque mosques: fewer scrolls, more symmetry. The best viewpoint is the square in front of the mosque.

The dome and its ornaments

The dome's drum is pierced with arched windows and topped with gilded finials. The architects replaced part of the traditional large inscriptions with plant motifs, a sign of changing taste under Mahmud II.

The carved details

At the corners, scrolls, acanthus leaves and inscription cartouches show the richness of the stone decoration, still close to the Baroque. Look up: it is in these details that the mosque stands out from its older neighbours.

The Tophane clock tower

On the neighbouring square, the Tophane clock tower, erected in the mid-19th century under Abdülmecid I, is considered the oldest clock tower in Istanbul. With the mosque, it makes up the most photographed view in the area.

Practical info

Tips

Entry is free. The mosque is a working place of worship: visit outside the five daily prayers, cover shoulders and knees (and hair for women), and remove your shoes at the entrance to the prayer hall. Opening hours for visitors are not published as a fixed schedule: check on site. The district is quiet in the morning and very busy in the evening and at weekends. The mosque is next to Istanbul Modern and the Istanbul Museum of Painting and Sculpture. See also: the 12 most beautiful mosques, Galataport and our Galata and Karaköy guide.

How to get there

Meclis-i Mebusan Caddesi, Tophane, 34425 Beyoğlu, Istanbul. T1 tram, Tophane stop, 3 minutes on foot. From the Galata Tower, allow 15 minutes on foot downhill towards the Bosphorus. Ferries: Karaköy pier, 10 minutes on foot.