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Istanbul’s Beautiful Mosques

Istanbul, Turkey

Mosque against the setting sun in Istanbul

Photo by David Coleman

Turkey // Islamic Art & Architecture· Istanbul Turkey· Middle East· Mosques· UNESCO World Heritage Sites Location: [post_gps_latitude], [post_gps_longitude]

“The beauty I see in Suleymaniye Mosque is in its lines, in the elegant spaces beneath its dome, in the opening out of its side domes, in the proportions of its walls and empty spaces, in the counterpoint of its support towers and its little arches, in its whiteness, and in the purity of the lead on its domes.”
— Orhan Parmuk, Istanbul[^fn2]

Perched strategically on many of the city’s highest points, Istanbul’s elegant mosques dominate the city’s skyline. With their Ottoman-style domed central structures and minarets towering over a city that has mostly shunned tall western-style skyscrapers, the mosques provide a distinctive and exotic silhouette of a fascinating city.

There are a lot of mosques in Istanbul–a recent count pegged the number to be just shy of 3,000–but three of Istanbul’s mosques really stand out–the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) and Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya) in the heart of Sultanahmet, and Suleymaniye looming over the Golden Horn–and it is to these that most visitors understandably flock, but many others are scattered throughout the city.1

Old Christian cathedrals like Westminster Abbey in London, Reims Cathedral, St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, St. Peter’s in Rome, or Notre Dame in Paris, revel in their opulence. Over centuries, they’ve tended to accumulate a hodgepodge of tributes, statues, paintings, and stained glass, and some of the most impressive are so because of the sheer accumulation of gaudy and opulent clutter collected over centuries, with paintings, statues, and a mishmash of other paraphernalia crammed into dank and musty nooks and crannies tucked into the building’s perimeter.

Although the earliest ones derived inspiration from some of Christendom’s most soaring cathedrals, Istanbul’s mosques are in stark contrast with that kind of piecemeal approach, aiming instead for understated and functional.

That isn’t to say they are any less impressive–far from it, they achieve an impressive elegance. But they save their decorative wow-factor for the astonishingly intricate and colorful ceramic tiling that covers much of the interior. A massive central dome–an architectural and technological marvel in its own right–sits above the main worship space, and rather than the altar of a Christian church, the focal point for worship is a comparatively simple mihrab, a semi-circular niche in the wall indicating the direction of Mecca. Where Christian churches are crammed with chairs and pews, the mosques have only open floor covered with a massive expanse of ornate Turkish carpet.

The Call to Prayer

One of the most striking aspects of the mosques is something that you can’t see. Look closely at the minarets on many mosques and you’ll see megaphone shaped loudspeakers mounted part way up that serve to blare out the call to prayer five times a day, making it audible for much of the surrounding area. Along with electrical lighting, they provide one of the few nods to modern technology.

Although their message remains simple and constant, the calls, sung by a single voice for each mosque, are wonderfully melodic and musical, as each singer adds his own interpretative style. Responding to the call, worshippers gather in the mosque for service, kneeling facing the mihrab with worship led by the imam.

Photos of Istanbul’s Mosques

Blue Mosque Prayer Hall in Istanbul

The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Camii). Photo by David Coleman

Suleymaniye Mosque Istanbul

Suleymaniye Mosque. Photo by David Coleman

Suleymaniye Mosque Istanbul

Suleymaniye Mosque. Photo by David Coleman

New Mosque (Yeni Cami) Istanbul

New Mosque (Yeni Cami).Photo by David Coleman

Suleymaniye Mosque Istanbul

Suleymaniye Mosque. Photo by David Coleman

Rustem Pasha Mosque in Istanbul with tourists

Rustem Pasha Mosque. Photo by David Coleman

Suleymaniye Mosque Istanbul

Suleymaniye Mosque. Photo by David Coleman

Suleymaniye Mosque Istanbul

Suleymaniye Mosque. Photo by David Coleman

Rustem Pasha Mosque in Istanbul interior with lights and ceiling

Rustem Pasha Mosque. Photo by David Coleman

Suleymaniye Mosque Istanbul

Suleymaniye Mosque. Photo by David Coleman

New Mosque (Yeni Cami) at Dusk, Istanbul at Dusk

New Mosque (Yeni Cami).Photo by David Coleman

Prayer Hall of Nuruosmaniye Mosque Istanbul

Nuruosmaniye Mosque. Photo by David Coleman

Golden sunset Suleymaniye Mosque silhouette

Suleymaniye Mosque. Photo by David Coleman

Suleymaniye Mosque Istanbul

Suleymaniye Mosque. Photo by David Coleman

Interior of Rustem Pasha Mosque in Istanbul

Rustem Pasha Mosque. Photo by David Coleman

Suleymaniye Mosque silhouette with sun and haze

Suleymaniye Mosque. Photo by David Coleman

Blue Mosque Interior Istanbul

The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Camii). Photo by David Coleman

Stained Glass Windows at Blue Mosque Istanbul

The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Camii). Photo by David Coleman

Suleymaniye Mosque Istanbul

Suleymaniye Mosque. Photo by David Coleman

Cupola of the Blue Mosque Istanbul

The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Camii). Photo by David Coleman

Prayer Hall of the New Mosque (Yeni Cami) Istanbul

New Mosque (Yeni Cami).Photo by David Coleman

Silhouette of Cupola of Dolmabahce Mosque in Istanbul Turkey

Dolmabahce Mosque. Photo by David Coleman

Blue Mosque at dusk (Sultan Ahmed Mosque)

The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Camii) across Sultanahmet. Photo by David Coleman


  1. Originally a Christian cathedral, then converted to a mosque, and now decommissioned and converted to a museum, Hagia Sophia is no longer a functioning mosque, but I’ve included it here because of its historical significance and groundbreaking architectural features. ↩

Where to Next?

  • Prayer Hall of the New Mosque (Yeni Cami) Istanbul
    Istanbul's Grand "New" Mosque
  • Prayer Hall of Nuruosmaniye Mosque Istanbul
    Nuruosmaniye Mosque
  • Blue Mosque Prayer Hall in Istanbul
    The Blue Mosque
  • Rustem Pasha Mosque in Istanbul with tourists
    Rustem Pasha Mosque
  • Assorted spices at the Spice Bazaar Istanbul Turkey
    Istanbul's Spice Bazaar
  • Brightly colored lights for sale in Istanbul's Grand Bazaar
    Istanbul's Grand Bazaar
  • Istanbul Naval Museum
    Istanbul Naval Museum


Travel Advice for Turkey

You can find the latest U.S. Department of State travel advisories and information for Turkey (such as entry visa requirements and vaccination requirements) here.

The British and Australian governments offer their own country-specific travel information. You can find the British Government's travel advice for Turkey here and the Australian Government's here.

Health & Vaccinations

The CDC makes country-specific recommendations for vaccinations and health for travelers. You can find their latest information for Turkey here.

David Coleman Photography

I take photos. I travel. I write. I do it for a living. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between. You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com. Or check out what’s in my go-to travel photography kit. Or get in touch here.


Location: Istanbul
Country: Turkey
Coordinates:
      Latitude: 41.015977
      Longitude: 28.964119

      # Islamic Art & Architecture
      # Istanbul Turkey
      # Middle East
      # Mosques
      # UNESCO World Heritage Sites



About David Coleman

I take photos. I travel. I write. I do it for a living.

I’m based in Washington, DC.

You can find my photography gear reviews and tips at havecamerawilltravel.com/photographer.

David Coleman Photography

I take photos. I travel. I write. I do it for a living. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between. You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com. Or check out what’s in my go-to travel photography kit. Or get in touch here.

Licensing & Prints

Looking for travel stock photos or prints? I might be able to help. You can search my collection here:

If you already have a buyer account with Alamy and would prefer to use that, you can search my images directly here.

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Photos by David Coleman. Please contact me for licensing images.
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