Attraction
Hagia Sophia
Justinian's sixth-century domed basilica, now the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, with a separate visitor route through its upper galleries above the prayer hall.
Süleymaniye Mosque
Mimar Sinan's monumental mosque for Suleiman the Magnificent, completed in 1557 on the Third Hill, with the tombs of the sultan and Hürrem Sultan.
At a glance
- Type
- Imperial mosque
- Area
- Süleymaniye, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Last checked
- October 23, 2026
Good to know
- Free entry
- Tombs of Suleiman and Hürrem
Why we recommend it
Crowning the Third Hill above the Golden Horn, the Süleymaniye was designed by the imperial architect Mimar Sinan for Suleiman the Magnificent and inaugurated in 1557. The prayer hall is vast yet restrained, lit by rows of windows under a soaring central dome, and the mosque sits within a wider complex of courtyards, former schools and a cemetery.
Behind the qibla wall stand the octagonal tombs of Suleiman and his wife Hürrem Sultan. Entry is free outside prayer times, with the usual modest-dress rules. It is noticeably quieter than the Blue Mosque, and the terrace on the north side gives a broad view over the Golden Horn and Galata; combine it with lunch in the surrounding streets.
Reviewed by Lifestylemetro · Details checked October 23, 2026
Süleymaniye Mosque FAQs
Who designed the Süleymaniye?
Mimar Sinan, the chief Ottoman imperial architect, for Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.
Who is buried there?
Suleiman the Magnificent and Hürrem Sultan lie in separate mausoleums in the cemetery behind the mosque.