Süleymaniye Mosque

The Süleymaniye Mosque was designed by Mimar Sinan, the chief imperial architect, for Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and was completed in 1557. It crowns the Third Hill of the historic peninsula, above the Golden Horn, and its great dome and four minarets dominate the skyline when you look across from Galata.

The prayer hall is huge but restrained, with a central dome on four piers and walls pierced by rows of windows that flood the space with light. Decoration is limited compared with the Blue Mosque, and that simplicity is part of its appeal. The mosque was the centre of a much larger complex, or külliye, that included religious schools, a hospital, a soup kitchen, a hamam and shops, and many of these buildings still stand around it. Behind the qibla wall is a walled cemetery with the octagonal tombs of Suleiman and of his wife Hürrem Sultan, and Sinan's own modest tomb lies just outside the complex.

Entry is free, and visitors are welcome outside prayer times, following the usual etiquette: shoes off, shoulders and knees covered, and head coverings for women. It is generally much quieter than the mosques of Sultanahmet, so you can sit on the carpet and take in the space without crowds. Avoid Friday midday prayers.

Allow around an hour to see the mosque, the courtyard, the tombs and the terrace on the north side, which gives one of the best free views in the city across the Golden Horn to Galata and up the Bosphorus. Late afternoon light is particularly good. The area is hilly, so be ready for a climb whichever way you approach.

Süleymaniye suits anyone interested in Ottoman architecture or looking for a calmer alternative to the busier sights. From the Grand Bazaar or Beyazıt tram stop it is a ten to fifteen minute walk north through the university area; from Eminönü and the Spice Bazaar it is an uphill walk through old market streets. The lane beside the mosque is lined with restaurants serving kuru fasulye, white beans in tomato sauce, a classic lunch here, and Vefa Bozacısı is a short walk west.