Gül Mosque

Overview

The Gül Mosque, the "Rose Mosque," stands by the Golden Horn in the Ayakapı quarter of Istanbul. It began as a Byzantine church, and in the late 15th century the Ottomans turned it into a mosque. Its tall brick walls rise from a high vaulted basement, and an Ottoman dome now crowns it. Old stories of roses, a saint and a hidden tomb still cling to it.

Where the Gül Mosque stands

The mosque sits on the slope above the Golden Horn, in Fatih. The quarter takes its name from Ayakapı, the "Holy Gate," which was probably first named after the saint of this church. Upstream lie the colorful streets of Fener and Balat.

Quick facts

• Also called: Gül Camii, the Rose Mosque
• Good for: Byzantine Istanbul, old legends, a walk by the Golden Horn

The History of the Gül Mosque

Whose church was it

No record names the church for certain. Tradition calls it the church of Hagia Theodosia, a saint of Constantinople, while some scholars link it to the monastery of Christ Euergetes. The building probably dates from the 10th or 11th century. In the Middle Ages, Russian pilgrims came here to see the relics of Saint Theodosia.

From church to mosque

After the conquest of 1453, the Ottoman navy used the basement as a store. Then, in the late 15th century, the church became a mosque, although later books give the reign of Selim II. In the 19th century, Sultan Mahmud II repaired it and added a royal loge for the sultan.

What to See at the Gül Mosque

A church on a high basement

The mosque rises on a high terrace over a vaulted basement. Above it, the church keeps its cross-in-square plan and three apses at the east end. The pointed arches and the low dome, however, are Ottoman work. So, as you look up, you see two empires in one building.

Roses, a saint and a hidden tomb

The name comes with a story. On 29 May 1453, the day the city fell, the church was said to be full of roses for the saint's feast. Another tradition links the name to a holy man called Gül Baba. Local people believe his tomb lies under the small dome to the right of the mihrab (the niche that shows the direction of prayer). A late Ottoman tale even placed the last Byzantine emperor, Constantine XI, here, but nothing supports it.

Visiting the Gül Mosque

How to visit the Gül Mosque

Gül Mosque is a working mosque, so we plan your visit outside prayer times for Istanbul; ask us to confirm before you plan a visit. Before you go, read our guide to mosque etiquette in Istanbul for what to wear and how to behave inside.

Before you go

The Gül Mosque fits well into a walk along the Golden Horn. From here, you can continue to Fener and Balat, or climb to the Zeyrek Mosque, another Byzantine church turned mosque.

Updated: October 29, 2026.

Seeing the Gül Mosque with Us

Would you like to see the Rose Mosque and its stories? We can add it to our Byzantine churches of Fatih tour or our Balat and Fener tour. Either tour can take in the Rose Mosque; pick one and give us the date.