Mimar Sinan Private Tour: The Great Mosques of Istanbul’s Master Architect

Highlights

1. The Şehzade Mosque, Sinan's first great imperial mosque in Istanbul
2. The Süleymaniye, its courtyard and the view over the Golden Horn
3. Sinan's own small tomb at the corner of the Süleymaniye complex
4. The Iznik tiles of the Rüstem Pasha Mosque above the market
5. The Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque, a small masterpiece on a hillside

Program

1. Morning

   The Şehzade Mosque

   Built for Suleiman's son, the prince who died young, and Sinan's first great work in the city.

   Opening hours & dress code ↓

2. Late morning

   The Süleymaniye

   The mosque, the courtyard, the tombs of Suleiman and Hürrem, and Sinan's own tomb.

   Opening hours & dress code ↓

3. Lunch

   Lunch by the Süleymaniye

   Beans and rice on the old street of bean houses beside the mosque.

4. Afternoon

   The Rüstem Pasha Mosque

   Up the narrow stairs from the market to a small mosque covered in Iznik tiles.

   Opening hours & dress code ↓

5. Late afternoon

   The Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque

   A small, perfect mosque on a slope below the Hippodrome, with fragments of the Kaaba set in its walls.

   Opening hours & dress code ↓

In depth

Look at the skyline of Istanbul from the water, and much of what you see comes from one man. Mimar Sinan was the chief architect of the Ottoman Empire for about fifty years. He was born a Christian in a village near Kayseri. Then he joined the Janissaries, built bridges and fortresses on campaign, and became the great builder of his age. So our private Mimar Sinan tour follows his story through the city, mosque by mosque. One of his last works, the Zal Mahmud Pasha Mosque, stands in Eyüp.

The Apprentice Work, First Stop of the Mimar Sinan Tour

Late in life, Sinan said that the Şehzade Mosque was his apprentice work, the Süleymaniye his journeyman work, and the Selimiye in Edirne his masterpiece. So we start at the Şehzade Mosque, which Suleiman built in memory of his favorite son, Prince Mehmed, who died in 1543. Here, Sinan tried a bold idea: a central dome supported by four half-domes, a plan of perfect symmetry.

The Süleymaniye on the Mimar Sinan Tour

Next, we walk to the Süleymaniye, crowning the third hill of the city. Around the mosque, Sinan also built a whole complex. It had schools, a hospital, a soup kitchen, a bath and the tombs of Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan. Inside, your guide shows you how the light falls through dozens of windows, and how the acoustics carry a whisper across the hall.

At the corner of the complex, just outside the walls, Sinan built himself a small, modest tomb. It is easy to walk past it. However, it is one of the most moving places in Istanbul. Then, for lunch, we sit on the old street of bean houses beside the mosque. Here, students and shopkeepers eat white beans and rice.

Small Mosques and Great Tiles on the Mimar Sinan Tour

In the afternoon, we see Sinan working on a smaller scale. Above the market streets near the Spice Bazaar, narrow stairs lead up to the Rüstem Pasha Mosque. İznik tiles of the finest period cover its walls, with tulips, carnations and the famous İznik tomato-red.

Finally, we end below the Hippodrome at the Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque. Sinan built it on a steep slope for the grand vizier and his wife, a daughter of Selim II. So you enter by a staircase that rises into the courtyard. Inside, small fragments that tradition links to the Kaaba in Mecca still sit in the walls above the door and the mihrab.

From our guides

• Bean housesThe street beside the Süleymaniye has served white beans and rice to students for generations.
• Sinan’s tombIt is small and simple. Take a moment there before you go on.
• Rüstem PashaThe stairs to the mosque are hidden between shops on Hasırcılar Street.
• EdirneFor Sinan’s masterpiece, the Selimiye, plan a day trip to Edirne, about three hours away.

Our suggestion Stand under the main dome of the Süleymaniye and look straight up. Then ask your guide about the ostrich eggs once hung from the lamps to keep spiders away. Below the mosque, the Süleymaniye Hamam of the same complex still heats its marble, and couples can bathe there together.

Extend the Mimar Sinan Tour

The Mimar Sinan tour can include other works in the city, such as the mosques of Mihrimah Sultan in Üsküdar or Kılıç Ali Pasha in Tophane. Then, for his masterpiece, see our page on the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, and for his aqueducts, the Mağlova Aqueduct. If you want Topkapı or another museum near the mosques, we add it to the day and arrange your entry. From the same base, our Dolmabahçe Palace tour takes in the gates and gardens, while our Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque tour heads for the gallery mosaics and the Hippodrome.

Before you go

• 

  Şehzade Mosque

  Open

  Open daily; visits pause at prayer times

  Closed

  Visitors wait outside during prayers; tombs sometimes closed

  Dress

  Shoulders and knees covered; women cover their hair; shoes off

  Entry

  No ticket needed

• 

  Süleymaniye Mosque

  Open

  Open daily; visits pause at prayer times, longest on Friday midday

  Closed

  Visitors wait outside during prayers

  Dress

  Shoulders and knees covered; women cover their hair; shoes off

  Entry

  No ticket needed

• 

  Rüstem Pasha Mosque

  Open

  Open daily; visits pause at prayer times

  Closed

  Visitors wait outside during prayers

  Dress

  Shoulders and knees covered; women cover their hair; shoes off

  Entry

  No ticket needed

• 

  Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque

  Open

  Open around prayer times; visits pause during prayers

  Closed

  Sometimes closed between prayers; ask the caretaker

  Dress

  Shoulders and knees covered; women cover their hair; shoes off

  Entry

  No ticket needed

Hours can change on religious holidays. Your guide confirms them the day before.

What’s included

Practical

Updated: October 22, 2026

Starts

Around 9:30, or a time you choose

Ends

Sultanahmet

Meeting point

Your hotel, or the Şehzade Mosque

Walking

Overall, moderate: hills and stairs in the old city, with a vehicle between the stops if needed.

Accessibility

Tell us your needs. The Rüstem Pasha Mosque is reached by narrow stairs.

Cancellation

On Fridays and religious holidays, we change the order around the prayers.

Frequently asked questions