The mosque got its name from Sultan Suleyman, also known as Suleyman the Magnificent, who was the ruler of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. He commissioned the mosque to commemorate his 30th anniversary of becoming the ruler. The architect of the mosque was the legendary Mimar Sinan, who is considered to be the greatest architect of his time. It took seven years to complete the mosque, which is the largest Ottoman-era mosque in the city and is considered to be Mimar Sinan's journeyman's work. The Suleymaniye Mosque is located in one of the most iconic and picturesque places in the city. The combination of the mosque's beauty and nature offers a lot of scenic moments. The mosque is also the final resting place of Sultan Suleyman and his latest wife Hurrem Sultan (also known as Roxelana). The main purpose of building this mosque was not only to provide a space for people to gather during prayer times but also to facilitate socialization and education. The complex includes a library, a garden, and a soup kitchen where people could receive most of their necessities at that time. Madrasahs and preparation classes were also provided to help people to get educated.
The mosque’s library establishment dates back to 1918. It holds a wide range of Islamic manuscripts and printed books, an eminent place for those who want to get into religious and historical research.
Flash forward to recent times, most of the parts of Suleymaniye Mosque's complex are closed and now they are being used for multiple purposes.
The Suleymaniye Mosque has undergone several restorations throughout history, some of which were due to unfortunate incidents. One incident occurred in the 17th century, which led to the mosque's interior being changed to a more baroque style by the architect Fossatti. Unfortunately, we don't have enough information about the mosque's previous appearance before that time. The most recent restoration was in 2009 and once again helped to restore the mosque's glory to shine more.
Although with its humble appearance from the outside, there is much important symbolism behind the scenes, like having four minarets can be clarified as Sultan Suleyman was the fourth Sultan of the Ottoman Empire after the conquering of Istanbul, also having ten balconies (serefe) where call to prayer recited by a muezzin (person who proclaims the call to the prayers) can also be interpreted as being the tenth Sultan after the establishment of the Ottoman Empire.
The mosque features four columns that are believed to be from the Temple of Artemis, as well as an obelisk from Istanbul, two of the columns from Egypt, which are said to represent the Four Caliphs.
The interior of the mosque has a similar modesty to the outer features of the structure. But this shouldn't mislead you, the mosque enchants you with its severely unique atmosphere. Featuring many great examples of Iznik tiles from talented artisans as well as stained-glass works of art and also sections of the Quran with beautiful calligraphy.