Mosques of Istanbul — the largest, oldest and modern shrines of the eternal city

Istanbul has about three thousand Muslim temples. The walls of the most ancient ones, like Hagia Sophia, remember the first sultans of the city. Learn about the amazing Istanbul mosques that tourists love to visit.

After the fall of Christian Constantinople in 1453, numerous mosques appeared in the city. The very first Muslim temples were established by the Ottomans in converted Christian shrines. The Ottoman Empire inherited the magnificent Hagia Sophia Cathedral from brilliant Byzantium, which was immediately transformed into a grand mosque.

When designing new religious buildings, Istanbul architects not only copied the Hagia Sophia Cathedral but also introduced their own architectural solutions, which later became known as the "Ottoman style." In addition to high domes and slender towers — minarets, the distinctive features of Istanbul mosques included sacred spaces facing Mecca, spacious courtyards, fountains with cool water, and flowering gardens.

Turks cherish the centuries-old culture and architectural monuments of their city. The most interesting mosques in Istanbul impress with their rich decorations, rare art objects, and calligraphic inscriptions with quotes from the Quran. Many mosques in Istanbul and Turkey have a special UNESCO protected status.

Visitors to Istanbul enjoy visiting mosques both independently and with guided tours. In their reviews, tourists write that visiting mosques can be conveniently combined with walking tours and bus tours around Istanbul. Around the temples, you'll find authentic neighborhoods, colorful streets, interesting museums, and city markets where life always bustles.

It's fascinating to view the mosques from the water, which is why travelers are attracted to yacht trips in Istanbul. Voyages along the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn are an excellent opportunity to spend time pleasantly, breathe fresh air, and admire the most beautiful mosques in the center of Istanbul.

This outstanding example of the Byzantine "golden age" is considered the "eighth wonder of the world." The Christian cathedral appeared in Istanbul during the reign of Emperor Justinian and was named after Saint Sophia — Divine Wisdom. According to legend, the Byzantines spent 130 tons of gold on its construction, which equaled the empire's budget for three years.

For more than a thousand years, the grand Hagia Sophia was the main Orthodox cathedral where Byzantine emperors were crowned. Its fame resonated throughout the Christian world. After the Ottoman conquest of the city, the cathedral became a mosque; in 1935, under Atatürk, it became a museum; and since 2020, it has regained its status as a mosque.

Visit here to see the rich collection of Byzantine mosaics, slender porphyry columns, and graffiti that travelers left on the cathedral walls hundreds of years ago. Tourists pay 994 lira for entry. Children under 7 years old can enter the Hagia Sophia mosque for free.

Hagia Sophia is located on Ayasofya Meydan Square in the Sultanahmet district of the city. In the buildings adjacent to the mosque are the tombs of Ottoman sultans and members of the imperial families. To learn more about the 1,700-year history of the Hagia Sophia, visit the museum located next to the Hagia Sophia mosque. The cost of visiting the museum includes a tourist audio guide in English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, and Turkish.

The enormous Sultan Ahmed Mosque or Blue Mosque with six minarets is a true architectural marvel. It stands opposite the Hagia Sophia, near Topkapi Palace. Looking at the facades, it's impossible to understand why the mosque was called Blue. The answer to this riddle lies inside. The mosque's interiors are decorated with thousands of handmade Iznik tiles and 200 sky-blue stained glass windows, whose beauty is impossible to look away from.

The main mosque of Istanbul by status was built in 1609-1616, during the time when the Ottoman Empire was ruled by Ahmed I. Its architecture harmoniously combines the traditions of Byzantine and Ottoman styles. The dome with a diameter of 23.5 meters and a height of 43 meters seems to float above the ground. Nearby stands a mausoleum with the tomb of the powerful sultan. Entry to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul is free.

The beautiful Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul and Turkey is the second most important in the city after the Blue Mosque. It can accommodate 5,000 worshippers inside. The Muslim temple became a symbol of the great love between Suleiman the Magnificent and Hurrem. The lovers are inseparable even after death: the mausoleums of the great sultan and his wife can be seen in the courtyard of the Suleymaniye Mosque.

3,500 builders worked on the construction of the mosque in 1550-1557. The project's author, Muslim architect Mimar Sinan, was convinced that his creation would stand forever, and he was not mistaken. The architectural masterpiece is made conscientiously — Suleymaniye has managed to survive 89 strong earthquakes of magnitude 7. The building has excellent acoustics because numerous hollow bricks are embedded in the walls of Suleymaniye in Istanbul. Everyone who has been here is amazed by the magical streams of light pouring from the windows in the dome. Entrance to the mosque is free.

The temple near the Galata Bridge, Eminönü pier, and the Egyptian Bazaar in Istanbul is often called the most "feminine" mosque in Istanbul.

The reason is that the impressive building of the Valide Sultan Mosque or New Mosque of Istanbul was founded by Safiye Sultan, the mother of Mehmed III. Construction stretched out and was completed in 1665 by another great woman of Turkey — Turhan Hatice Sultan, mother of Mehmed IV.

The mosque in the classical Ottoman style is crowned with 66 domes and two minarets. You will be even more surprised when you get inside. The rich wall painting is almost as impressive as the famous Blue Mosque. The main dome, 36 meters high, is supported by four semi-domes. The walls are richly decorated with faience, and the windows are adorned with elegant colored stained glass. Entrance to the mosque is free.

It would be unforgivable to miss the oldest mosque in Istanbul, which was built in 1506 by the son of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. Sultan Bayezid II, nicknamed the Just, was known as a patron of Western and Eastern cultures. He very much liked Byzantine architecture, which is why the mosque bearing the sultan's name so resembles the legendary Hagia Sophia.

Previously, the mosque with two minarets included a madrasah, elementary school, hammam, and public dining hall. Today, the grounds house a library and museum dedicated to the art of Turkish calligraphy. In the inner courtyard of the mosque, you can see the mausoleum of the founder — Sultan Bayezid II. Entrance to the mosque is free.

Perhaps the most romantic mosque in Istanbul and Turkey is named after one of Sultan Suleiman I's favorite daughters. Mihrimah was the only girl in the marriage of the powerful Suleiman I and the beautiful Hurrem; the sultan's other daughters were born to concubines. Mihrimah was born on March 21, the day of the spring equinox, which is why she received a name that means "Sun and Moon."

According to legend, the famous architect Mimar Sinan was passionately in love with the Ottoman beauty and tried to express his feelings in stone. One mosque in honor of the sultan's daughter Mihrimah rises in the Üsküdar district, on the shore of the Bosphorus. It was built in 1546-1548. From the embankment near the temple, you can take beautiful photos of the European part of Istanbul. The second Mihrimah Sultan Mosque has stood in the Edirnekapı district since 1570. Entrance to both Istanbul mosques is free.

During the conquest of Constantinople, the Ottomans destroyed many buildings. Ten years later, a large mosque appeared on the ruins of the Church of the Holy Apostles and Christian cemeteries, which was named after Sultan Mehmed II Fatih. The impressive Muslim temple became a symbol of a new era when Byzantine Christianity was replaced by Islam.

In 1766, Turkey experienced a powerful earthquake, after which the massive dome and tops of the minarets collapsed. Five years later, Mustafa III virtually rebuilt the destroyed mosque in Istanbul. The richly decorated mausoleum in the cemetery at the mosque contains the body of the conqueror of Byzantium, Fatih the Conqueror. Entry here is free.

This new landmark on the highest hill of Istanbul was built in 2019, immediately becoming a center of pilgrimage for Turks and tourists. Çamlıca is the largest mosque in Istanbul and Turkey. Amazingly, it can accommodate 25,000 worshippers inside! The majestic mosque building is surrounded by six minarets, four of which reach 107 meters — the height of a 36-story building.

The large religious complex in Istanbul includes a Museum of Islamic Civilization, art gallery, state library, cafes, and workshops. In the northern part of the mosque, there is an observation deck from which you can get an excellent view of the Asian part of Istanbul. Entrance to the mosque and museum is free.

Istanbul is known not only for its ancient monuments. The most striking example of modern Islamic architecture in Turkey is the new mosque, which was built in the Asian part of Istanbul in 2015. 500 tons of steel were used for its construction, however, the building looks very light, literally floating in the air.

In the center of the mosque is a hemisphere — a symbol of the Universe and two unusual minarets over 57 meters high. They seem to be assembled from pieces of Lego. Inside, 3,600 worshippers can be accommodated. Under the original building are classrooms, an art gallery, and a cafe. Entrance to the mosque is free.

The list of significant Istanbul mosques concludes with Ortaköy or the Great Mecidiye Mosque, which cannot boast a long history like Hagia Sophia, but in decoration surpasses many mosques in Istanbul. The elegant marble building in the baroque style, unusual for Turkey, reveals all its beauty during yacht trips along the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. The sacred mosque was built in 1856 by order of Sultan Abdul Mecid. The interior space of the mosque is divided into a harem and the sultan's private quarters, while the marble facades are decorated with intricate carvings. Entry to the mosque is free.

Istanbul mosques welcome representatives of any faith and travelers who want to get acquainted with Turkey's architectural monuments. When planning a visit, keep in mind that five collective prayers — namaz — are held throughout the day in mosques, when tourists are not allowed inside. In active Istanbul mosques, visitors are asked to observe Muslim traditions:

▪︎ There are separate entrances to the mosque for men and women;
▪︎ Everyone removes their shoes when entering the prayer hall;
▪︎ Women must have their heads covered;
▪︎ It is unacceptable to enter the mosque in shorts and open tank tops;
▪︎ At the entrance, you can get a special covering and headscarf for free;
▪︎ It's not allowed to talk loudly or disturb those praying;
▪︎ Inside the mosque, photography is usually not allowed, at most — with a smartphone.

Most mosques in Istanbul are accessible for free. Muslim travelers can enter places where tourists pay for admission without charge. If you want to hear interesting stories and mysterious legends, buy a tour and visit a popular Istanbul mosque with a guide. To avoid searching for information about public transport, order a transfer from your hotel to the chosen Istanbul mosque.