New Mosque

Overview

Step off a ferry at Eminönü, or walk across the Galata Bridge from Karaköy, and the first thing you see is a hill of gray domes. Step by step, they climb one above the other to a great central dome, with two slim minarets on either side. Around them, pigeons wheel over the square, fish sandwich boats rock by the pier, and shoppers pour into the Spice Bazaar. This is the New Mosque, Yeni Cami, the work of two queen mothers. For lunch after the bazaar, join our Eminönü and Pandeli lunch tour. Our Istanbul photography walk stops here.

The New Mosque at the Foot of the Galata Bridge

To begin with, the mosque stands in Eminönü, on the shore of the Golden Horn at the southern end of the Galata Bridge. For centuries, this was the busiest trading quarter of the city. Today, it marks the crossing point between the old city and Galata, and it is one of the best-known shapes on the Istanbul skyline. At dusk, our Galata evening walk ends across the bridge at Eminönü.

History of the New Mosque

Safiye Sultan’s unfinished mosque

In 1597, Safiye Sultan, the mother of Sultan Mehmed III, began a great building here. Its first architect, Davut Ağa, was a student of Mimar Sinan. The project, however, was costly and unpopular, and the Janissaries in particular resented the queen mother’s power. When Mehmed III died in 1603, work stopped, and the half-built walls slowly fell into ruin.

Turhan Sultan finishes the work

Then, in 1660, a great fire swept through the area. Afterward, the court architect Mustafa Ağa suggested that Turhan Sultan, mother of Mehmed IV, complete the building as an act of piety. She agreed, and moreover she built the Spice Bazaar next door, whose rents helped support the whole complex. It was completed in 1663.

What to See at the New Mosque

The cascade of domes

First, stand back and look at the outside. In all, a cascade of domes and semi-domes steps up in a pyramid toward the main dome. The plan follows earlier imperial designs, such as Sinan’s Şehzade complex and the Blue Mosque.

The courtyard

Next, walk into the courtyard. Overall, it measures 39 meters (128 feet) on each side, and a colonnade with 24 small domes runs around it. In the middle stands an elegant fountain, which is only decorative, since worshippers wash at taps on the south wall. Under the porch, look for the İznik tiles.

The Royal Pavilion

On the east side, a long ramp and a great arch lead up to the Royal Pavilion. From here, a long raised passage leads to the royal loge inside, behind a gilded screen, where members of the court attended prayers.

The prayer hall

Finally, step inside. The hall is a square of 41 meters (135 feet) on each side, with blue, green and white İznik tiles, a mihrab (the niche that shows the direction of prayer) of gilded stalactite carving and a marble pulpit under a pointed canopy.

How to Visit the New Mosque

The T1 tram stops at Eminönü, right in front of Yeni Cami, and ferries from Karaköy, Kadıköy and Üsküdar land at the piers nearby. No ticket is needed, but avoid prayer times.

We pass the New Mosque on many of our Istanbul days, and it fits naturally with the Spice Bazaar, the Galata Bridge and our Golden Horn tour. For a smaller jewel nearby, visit the tiled Rüstem Pasha Mosque, and for its model, the Blue Mosque.