Built from 1550 to 1557 by the architect Mimar Sinan for Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, the Süleymaniye Mosque towers over the Golden Horn from the third hill of the old city. It is the largest 16th-century imperial mosque in Istanbul and the heart of a vast complex (külliye) that included Koranic schools, a hospital, a public kitchen and a hammam. Entry is free, outside prayer times. Behind the mosque, the tombs of Suleiman and his wife Roxelana can also be visited, and the garden offers one of the finest views in the city, over the Golden Horn and Galata. Less crowded than the [Blue Mosque](/fr/attractions/mosquee-bleue), it makes for a more peaceful visit.
Highlights
The prayer hall
The central dome rises to 53 metres with a diameter of 26.5 metres, buttressed by two semi-domes, in the tradition of Hagia Sophia. Light pours in through dozens of windows onto a restrained decor: the Iznik tiles are kept for the mihrab wall, facing Mecca. The large circular chandeliers hang low, a few metres above the carpets.
The four minarets
They stand at the corners of the courtyard and have ten balconies in total, a number said to recall that Suleiman was the tenth Ottoman sultan. The two tallest reach 76 metres including their spires. The arcaded courtyard, with its central fountain, leads to the mosque entrance.
The tombs of Suleiman and Roxelana
In the cemetery behind the mosque, the octagonal mausoleum of Suleiman, who died in 1566, was built on the orders of his son Selim II. Its interior is covered in Iznik tiles. Right next to it, the smaller tomb of Hürrem Sultan, known in Europe as Roxelana, who died in 1558, is also decorated with ceramics. Enter in silence.
Sinan's tomb
Mimar Sinan, the architect of more than three hundred buildings, lies in a small tomb at the northern corner of the complex, just outside the walls, at the junction with Mimar Sinan street. The spot is modest and often deserted: a two-minute detour to pay tribute to the mosque's creator.
The terrace over the Golden Horn
The garden along the north side of the mosque looks out over the rooftops of Eminönü, the Golden Horn, Galata and, further off, the Bosphorus. It is a free viewpoint, ideal at the end of the day. Seen from the water at night, the silhouette of the mosque and its illuminated minarets dominates the whole shore.
Bean street
Facing the mosque, Prof. Sıddık Sami Onar street, the former Tiryakiler Çarşısı (the "addicts' market"), is lined with small restaurants specialising in kuru fasulye, a stew of white beans in tomato sauce served with rice pilaf and pickles. It is the traditional lunch after the visit, at modest prices.
Infos pratiques
Tips
Entry is free and no booking is needed. The mosque closes to visitors for about half an hour around each of the five daily prayers, and on Fridays until the end of the midday prayer, around 2:30pm: check the day's prayer times, posted at the entrance. Dress code: shoulders and knees covered for everyone, hair covered for women (scarves are lent at the entrance), no shorts. Shoes come off before entering; plastic bags are provided to carry them. Speak quietly and do not photograph worshippers at prayer. Information as observed in October 2026.
How to get there
Süleymaniye Mahallesi, Prof. Sıddık Sami Onar Caddesi 1, 34116 Fatih, Istanbul. Metro M2, Vezneciler station, about a 10-minute walk; tram T1, Beyazıt-Kapalıçarşı or Laleli-Üniversite stop, a 10 to 15-minute walk past Istanbul University. From the [Grand Bazaar](/fr/attractions/grand-bazar-istanbul), allow 10 minutes on foot. From Eminönü and the [Spice Bazaar](/fr/attractions/bazar-egyptien-istanbul), the climb through the shopping streets takes about 15 minutes; the [Rüstem Pasha Mosque](/fr/attractions/mosquee-rustem-pacha) is on the way.
Opening hours
Nearby
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