Rüstem Pasha Mosque - Istanbul's Mosques

The Rüstem Pasha Mosque (Rüstem Paşa Camii, 1560) in Istanbul’s Eminönü district by the Golden Horn, is among the city’s architectural gems—yet seen by few foreign visitors.

Rüstem Paşa, who was born in Croatian and was a groom, is the husband of Mihrimah Sultan, daughter of Kanuni Sultan Süleyman (Süleyman the Magnificent) and the famous Ottoman vizier. Rüstem Pasha Mosque located in Eminönü was built in 1561 by Architect Sinan and completed in 1563.

The most significant element of the mosque is undoubtedly Iznik tiles and the mosque is away from the simplicity of Sinan and the period. Tiles are geometric floral and leafs motifs and look like a colorful flower garden. Although the coral red had been used for a short time during 16thcentury, the color has come up today thanks to the mosque which is famous for the richest collection of tiles, but unfortunately some of these tiles were stolen. The mosque has only one minaret and its dome is completed with small scale four half domes and four full domes. In the lower parts of the mosque 24 windows are founded. The courtyard of the mosque is different from the courtyards of other mosques because its şadırvan (fountain) is on the street. Also it has spiral staircases in the two sides of the mosque. It had been damaged a fire in 1660 and repaired, but after the great earthquake (small judgment) in 1766 its dome and minaret were collapsed and they were reconstructed the period of Mustafa II so the style of Architect Sinan was lost.

Rüstem Pasha Mosque is located in a central location surrounded by shops and warehouses of the Hasırcılar Bazaar. When the mosque is seen by the same frame with Süleymaniye Mosque, there is a magnificent landscape. According to one of the most widely weekly magazine of U.S. ,Newsweek, Rüstem Pasha Mosque is the most beautiful mosque of Europe. The magazine mentions the peace and it is noted that the mosque has the most beautiful tiles of the Ottoman Empire.

Transportation can be provided from Sultanahmet easily. Although the mosque seems to lose among shops and is not known as much as the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia or Eyüp Sultan Mosque, it is one of the beauties of Istanbul to be seen.