The Yeni Camii (New Mosque) in Istanbul is not that new it was built in the 1597s. Located on the water’s edge next to the Galata Bridge, the Yeni Camii has become a defining feature of Istanbul’s skyline.
Only in Istanbul would a 400-year-old mosque be called ‘New‘. Dating from 1597, its design references both the Blue Mosque and the Süleymaniye Mosque, with a large forecourt and a square sanctuary surmounted by a series of semidomes crowned by a grand dome. The interior is richly decorated with gold leaf, coloured Iznik tiles and carved marble.
History
Begun by Valide Safiye, mother of Sultan Mehmet III, in 1597, the New Mosque was designed by the architect Da’ud Aga, a pupil of Sinan. The chosen site was then a poor neighborhood; the inhabitants were paid to move out.
Construction initially dragged on for several decades due to water seeping and funding problems, then stopped completely when the sultan died Safiye was no longer the Queen Mother so she no longer had the revenues or power to support the project.
The mosque was completed by another queen mother, Valide Sultan Turhan Hattice, mother of Mehmet IV (1642-93).
What to See
The New Mosque overlooks the harbor next to the Galata Bridge on the Golden Horn. The beautiful exterior consists of a great courtyard, two slender minarets, and a cascade of domes tumbling down from a central dome. Hundreds of pigeons make their nests among the architecture.
The interior is decorated with Iznik tile, gold and marble. Valide Sultan Turhan Hattice is buried in the courtyard along with sultans Mehmet IV, Mustafa II, Ahmet III, and Mahmut.
As wonderful as the Blue Mosque is, I think this may be my favorite of the mosques we visited in Istanbul. The New Mosque (everything, but especially expressions of age, is relative in a town that's been around for something like 3,500 years) is handy to the waterfront, Spice Bazaar and Grand Bazaar. Its beautiful, soaring interior is grand, indeed.
Iconic building, sits alongside the Bosporous and next to the Egyptian spice market. Beautiful Interior and lovely complex
We toured the courtyard of this lovely mosque. As with many mosques in Istanbul the tiles are beautiful. And with its location just over the Galata Bridge and beside the Spice Market in the old city, it is a site you will pass many times if you stay in the old city.
We toured the courtyard of this lovely mosque. As with many mosques in Istanbul the tiles are beautiful. And with its location just over the Galata Bridge and beside the Spice Market in the old city, it is a site you will pass many times if you stay in the old city. Worth a look. And the fact it’s called the New Mosque and was built in the late 1500’s helps keep the history of the city front of mind.