History of the Suleymaniye Mosque
The Suleymaniye Mosque is located atop one of the seven hills that Istanbul was built on. As such not only is it a very important landmark of the city, its also one of the landmarks that offer its visitors the best views possible. To speak of when the Suleymaniye Mosque was built; it was built between 1550-1557 by the most famous imperial architect of the Ottoman Empire, Mimar Sinan, on the orders of Suleyman I, otherwise known as Suleyman the Magnificent. But the Suleymaniye Mosque wasn't just built as a place of worship. The Suleymaniye Mosque is a massive complex that once housed a soup kitchen, a library, a madrasa, a preparatory school, a garden where one could take leisurely strolls and more. While the mosque is still used for worship, many parts have been closed and are used for touristic purposes. For instance, what was once a soup kitchen is now a sweet little cafe called the Daruzziyaye, where you can enjoy a cup of tea.
The Suleymaniye Mosque bears great historic value for many reasons. First, because it was built by the most talented Ottoman architect to have ever lived. Second reason is because there are certain very important figures' graveyards. Who is buried in the Suleymaniye Mosque, you ask? Well, the tombs of Suleyman the Magnificent and his wife Hurrem Sultan (formerly known as Roxelana) are located on the grounds of the mosque. The mosque was built to be a testament of Suleyman I's accomplishments during the right. For instance, the four minarets of the mosque serve to signify the fact that Suleyman I was the fourth sultan to rule over the Ottoman Empire, once he became an empire.
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