Mihrimah Sultan Mosque

Mihrimah Sultan Mosque Story

The interesting story of the Mihrimah Sultan Mosques come from the name of the Mihrimah Sultan. Mihr-u Mâh means “sun and moon” in Persian, so Mimar Sinan built the most suitable mosques he can for Mihrimah with a symmetry that was never seen before on Earth.

The mosque at Uskudar is situated on Istanbul's seventh-highest hill. However, the mosque in Edirkapi was erected in a dull position, out of sight, and it remained towering alone in that place for a long time. This decision of setting is seen as a representation of Mimar Sinan's secret love for Mihrimah Sultan. The sun sets behind the sole minaret of the mosque at Edirnekapi every year on March 21, the day of Mihrimah Sultan's birthday, if you can find a location where you can see both Mihrimah Sultan Mosques at the same time.

After then, the moon would rise between the mosque's minarets in Uskudar, giving Mihrimah Sultan her name, which means "sun and moon." Although this is merely one example of the famed Mimar Sinan's architectural brilliance, the way it fuses nature and art makes it stand out.

Despite being the smaller of the two mosques in Uskudar, the first mosque is nonetheless a huge structure. It has the enormous primary dome that has become Mimar Sinan's trademark, which is surrounded by three smaller domes. Looking up to the main dome gives visitors an amazing sense of scale, making them feel like tiny people in comparison to this enormous monument. The interior is incredibly vast with a high-vault design. There are numerous modest Islamic verses on the interior walls of the tall, thin minarets.

Despite being over 500 years old, the structure does not feel dated and continues to stand tall with its fascinating interior architecture and little embellishments. A minbar inside and an ablution fountain outside, both of which are referred to as "Şadırvan," are further features of the traditional Islamic mosque construction. Gray cut stones were used to build Uskudar, which is located outside the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque. Very those that were utilized on the minbar, the inside features gleaming marble stones that are particularly appealing.

In Edirnekapi, the second Mihrimah Sultan Mosque is a larger and marginally more intricate structure than the first. The mosque's exterior features include a sizable courtyard with an ablution fountain surrounded by grassy areas and semi-open hallways supported by several columns made of granite and marble. Despite having just one minaret, the mosque's tall and thin construction, which overlooks the main thoroughfare, is striking. Inside, it is clear that one mosque is bigger than the others.

The mosque is naturally lit throughout the daylight since windows cover a large portion of the wall's surface area. Due to the renovations and repairs it underwent following the earthquakes, the mosque's interior feels modern despite its age. It's also important to note that entering the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque in Edirnekapi at night is a completely different experience thanks to the alluring ambiance created by the lighting of the substantial hanging chandeliers.

How To Go To Mihrimah Sultan Mosque

Mihrimah Sultan Mosque in Fatih, Edirnekapi is easily reachable. All you have to do is get on either the M1A Yenikapi – Ataturk Airport or the M1B Yenikapi – Kirazlı metro line and get off at the Topkapi – Ulubatli stop. From there, it is just a 10-minute walk to the mosque. To reach this mosque from the Anatolian side, you can use the Marmaray to go to the Yenikapi station and transfer to the metro lines we mentioned before.

The second Mihrimah Sultan Mosque in Uskudar is likewise quite accessible and is situated in a prime area. Both the Uskudar Pier and the Uskudar Marmaray station are fairly close by, so you can either take a boat from Eminonu and enjoy a little tour of the Bosphorus en route or choose the quicker route and utilize the Marmaray to go to the Uskudar stop