Suleymaniye Mosque surrounded by Golden Gorn is located in one of Istanbul’s seven hills. The mosque having extraordinary architectural elegance was built at Sultan Suleiman’s request (Suleiman the magnificent) in 1550 then Kulliye (social complex) was built in 1557. Although it’s damaged by fire in 1660 and then its perfect columns covered by cement and oil paint .It’s also one of the most popular mosques in the city, with numerous worshipper, extraordinary used techniques. Mosque divides into three main features; architecture, enlightenment and acoustic sound system.
Mosque Features
The first feature; Suleymaniye Mosque is the product of gifted Architect Sinan. Architect Sinan said that he saw Suleymaniye Mosque as a master builder. It draws attention to the unique architectural style and features. For example that; oil lamps were used to light but they created a mist which polluted the domes. To prevent mist, genius Architect Sinan constructed mist rooms picking up all mist by way of the airflow.
Moreover it was produced first ink from the mist of oil-lamps. Some of books in the library were written by using that ink. Another architectural of Suleymaniye Mosque is that firstly Architect Sinan built as a work room. When work room was built, there was no electric because of that the mosque was enlightened with 275 lamps and additionally the huge candles placed both sides of mihrab.
Moreover, two of the columns carrying the central dome of Suleymaniye Mosque were brought from Baalbek (a region located in between Egypt and Lebanon), the others from Karahisar, Afyon(a city of Turkey).It is said that scientists, hodjas educated the public about Islamic law,tefsir(commenting of Kuran),Hadith (the prophet Muhamed’s sayings/deeds), the Sufism in the Minbar (a seat) surrogated by those columns. Also the complex surrounding the mosque was consisted of schools, a library, baths, public kitchens, caravanserai, a hospital and shops.
The second feature; One of the special features is the acoustic system peculiar to the mosque; Architect Sinan worked on the acoustic system to be heard the sermon. He endeavoured to be equally distributed the sound anywhere from a point. Also to create this system, he benefited the bowls.
The last feature; Magnificent Sinan put the ostrich eggs between lamp bowls in chandeliers but by the time of progress, the number of eggs decreased and their colour begun to get dark.The reason Sinan used because dry ostrich egg prevents the place by spreading a small from the scorpion, the insects like the spider. In the back courtyard there are taken place the tombs of Suleiman and his love wife Roxelane (Hurrem Sultan), as well as graves of other prominent people.
Mimar Sinan Note
The last years, Suleymaniye Mosque encountered with the danger of collapsing. If it couldn’t be prevented the whole building would fall down within a short time. All the carrying weight was on its archs. The stones of the arch were worn out. Nobody knew how the ruined stones could be repaired because there wasn’t any written document giving information about it. All the qualified engineers and architects of Turkey were brought but the problem wasn’t solved because everyone had a different idea and it created a chaos.
Finally, one of them discovered a hidden hole. A piece of paper with a note written on it was in the hole. Written with the Ottoman Turkish, paper examined by many specialists and was proved to be real.It was figured out this letter belonging to genius Architect Sinan. He defined how it was going to be repaired word by word. They did what they were to do word by word and that way, Suleymaniye was saved. This letter is still being kept in the Topkapı Palace.
