Category: Religious
Type: Mosque
Location: Merkez, Camii Kebir Sk. Eyüpsultan
Date: 1459-1800
Designer: Uzun Hüseyin Efendi
Period: Ottoman Empire
Photos: Eyüp Sultan Belediyesi (eyupsultan.bel.tr)
The Eyüp Sultan Mosque, situated near the shores of the Golden Horn just outside the ancient land walls, serves as one of the most sacred sites in Istanbul, marking the burial place of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad. Originally commissioned by Mehmed the Conqueror in 1458 shortly after the conquest of the city, the primary structure suffered significant damage over the centuries, leading to a complete reconstruction in 1800 under the reign of Sultan Selim III. Architecturally, the mosque is a masterpiece of the classical Ottoman style, featuring a grand central dome flanked by semi-domes and two slender minarets that define its silhouette against the historic hillside. The complex is centered around a serene courtyard shaded by ancient plane trees, where the shrine of Eyüp Sultan, adorned with intricate İznik and Kütahya tiles in shades of turquoise and blue, continues to be a focal point for pilgrims. Beyond its religious importance, the mosque held a vital political role as the traditional site for the girding of the Sword of Osman, a ceremony equivalent to a coronation that symbolized the legitimacy and spiritual authority of the Ottoman sultans.
