Rüstem Pasha Mosque: the finest Iznik tiles

Updated on October 1, 2026

Hidden above the shops of the Tahtakale district, a few steps from the [Spice Bazaar](/fr/attractions/bazar-egyptien-istanbul), the Rüstem Pasha Mosque is easy to miss from the street. It was built by Mimar Sinan around 1561-1563 for the grand vizier Rüstem Pasha (died 1561), husband of Mihrimah, daughter of Suleiman the Magnificent. Its interior, entirely clad in Iznik tiles, is among the finest Ottoman ceramic decors: about 2,300 tiles in some 80 patterns. Reopened for worship after a restoration lasting several years, carried out by the General Directorate of Foundations, it can be visited free of charge outside prayer times. Allow 20 to 30 minutes.

Highlights

The prayer hall

Walls, piers, mihrab and minbar are covered in tiles from the floor up to the base of the dome. The dominant colours are cobalt blue, turquoise and white, set off by a bright raised red typical of the best Iznik production of the 1560s. The fairly small hall lets you look at the panels up close.

The floral patterns

Tulips, carnations, hyacinths, roses and long saz leaves curl across the panels, varying from one wall to the next. Take time to compare the piers and the sides of the mihrab: the sets of tiles change design. During the restoration, 133 tiles on the outer walls were remade to match the originals.

The entrance portico

Even before you go in, the façade under the portico, on the terrace, is covered in tiles too. Some of the best-lit panels are here, in daylight, easy to photograph without disturbing worshippers.

A mosque set on top of shops

Sinan raised the mosque on a vaulted platform housing shops at street level; their rents were meant to pay for the building's upkeep. You reach it by narrow staircases squeezed between the stalls, which open onto a quiet terrace above the bustle of the market. From the street, only the dome and the minaret give it away.

Infos pratiques

Tips

The main entrance is a plain stone staircase opening between the shops of Hasırcılar street: look for the mosque sign, or follow the minaret. Entry is free. The mosque closes to visitors during the five daily prayers and on Fridays until the end of the midday prayer. Dress code: shoulders and knees covered, hair covered for women, shoes off at the entrance to the prayer hall. The surrounding streets are packed with delivery vans and porters: keep your belongings in front of you. In late September 2026 the press reported restoration works on the building and the shops beneath it: before you go, check with the Directorate General of Foundations (vgm.gov.tr) or on the spot that the prayer hall is still open to visitors. Information as observed in October 2026.

How to get there

Rüstem Paşa Mahallesi, Hasırcılar Caddesi 62, 34116 Fatih, Istanbul. Tram T1, Eminönü stop, then a 5-minute walk west past the Spice Bazaar along Hasırcılar street. Marmaray, Sirkeci station, about a 10-minute walk; public ferries, Eminönü piers. From the [Grand Bazaar](/fr/attractions/grand-bazar-istanbul), allow 15 minutes on foot downhill through the shopping streets of Mahmutpaşa.