Mosque of Rustem Pasha. An excerpt characterizing the Mosque of Rustem Pasha

Rustem Pasha Mosque was built by the famous architect Sinan on the orders of the great, who married his daughter and Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska,.

The Rustem Pasha Mosque was built in the Tahtakale region in 1561, not far from the Egyptian market. The construction of this mosque Sinan began 4 years after the Suleymaniye mosque.
The walls here are decorated with the rarest ceramic tiles. Ceramics and faience were brought from Iznik. The most common patterns on tiles are tulips and geometric shapes. Tiles adorn the mosque not only from the inside, but also from the outside. On one of the tiles you can see the plan of Mecca.

The Rustem Pasha Mosque was damaged by a fire in 1660 and an earthquake in 1766. Subsequently, the mosque was restored, but the dome and minaret no longer looked like the creations of Sinan.

It is not often visited by tourists, although it is easy to find on your own. If you walk from the Egyptian Bazaar towards Suleymaniye, you will see it after a few meters. Unprepossessing from the outside and luxurious inside, the Rustem Pasha Mosque is considered one of the most beautiful mosques in Europe.

It was built in honor of the son-in-law of the great Sultan Suleiman the First. The story says that Rustem Pasha married the beautiful Mihrimah, the daughter of the Sultan and his wife Roksolana. Rustem's enemies built many intrigues in order to prevent this wedding, but in the end the wedding took place.

The mosque is located in the urban area of ​​Eminonu. It is well lit due to the presence of a huge number of windows. The floor of the mosque is covered with carpets. Before entering the prayer hall, they take off their shoes - these are the rules. Also, there are no images in the prayer hall, but there are sayings from the Koran on the walls. The building is intended exclusively for prayer and worship. It is assumed that nothing else should be done inside, except for prayers: this is how the space is kept ritually clean. By the way, the Rustem Pasha Mosque in Istanbul at one time was very badly damaged by earthquakes and fires, but was restored. In translation, the mosque means "to prostrate", as well as "a place of worship."

grand bazaar

There are many shops and small streets around the Rustem Pasha Mosque.
Next to it, there is also a “flea market” selling clothes and shoes on Sundays. The Bazaar is also known as the Egyptian Bazaar. However, the building of the mosque itself is located on a hill, so the noise and din of the city remains outside. Many tourists note the peace and quiet compared to other mosques where there are a lot of tourists. Inside there is some kind of reverent calmness, serenity and sincerity. This is the incomparable color of Istanbul - the most beautiful mosque, located next to the market, which is by no means an impressive place!

Architecture

The building of the mosque has a classical layout - one central dome, which rests on four semi-domes. There are also five very small domes. Inside, the Rustem Pasha Mosque attracts with its rich and beautiful decoration. The walls, as well as some columns and the facade of the mosque are decorated with beautiful tiles from Iznik. This material is very expensive, but even the outer walls are decorated with it in some places. On the tiles there is an unusual ornament in the form of geometric patterns, interweaving of stems, flowers and tulips. Particular attention should also be paid to stained glass windows.

The architectural feature of this mosque is that it has only one minaret-tower. According to legend, the thin and graceful minaret symbolizes the unrequited love of the Turkish architect Siman for the Sultan's daughter.

Locals will tell you how to find the entrance

Not all tourists manage to find the passage to the mosque on the first try using the signs: some first have to make a couple of circles around the Egyptian Bazaar. In case of difficulty, you can simply ask for directions. The Rustem Pasha Mosque in Istanbul is one of those places that you must definitely plan to visit upon arrival in the Turkish capital.

Holidays in Turkey are becoming more and more popular. Especially after the Turkish action series “The Magnificent Age”, based on real events, was released on TV screens.

The heroes of the series are historical figures, many of whom during their lives in Istanbul erected more than one beautiful building in honor of their beloved relatives. This is how the Rustem Pasha Mosque in Istanbul was built.

Historical information about the Pasha

Rustem Pasha is an extraordinary personality in the history of the Ottoman Empire. His life was bright, and the career path was long and far from boring! Until now, historians argue about the birthplace of the Grand Vizier (about 1500). Some consider Croatia to be Pasha's homeland, others - Bosnia.

As a child, he arrived in Istanbul with his brother, entered Enderun (training center in Topkapi Palace) to study. And already in 1526, as a sultan's squire, he went to where he showed his outstanding nature. After that, his career advancement begins. After 7 years, he becomes the governor of Teka, after another 5 years he acquires the position of beylerbey of Anatolia! A year later, he was appointed the third vizier of the Sultan. In the same year, 1539, he marries the Ottoman princess - Mihrimah, daughter of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Haseki Sultan! After 5 years, the ruler of the Ottomans decides to appoint Rustem as the Grand Vizier of the Empire. So the pasha took one of the main positions in the state.

His ascent was not easy. A huge number of envious people stood in the way of the venerable master, but thanks to his insight, wisdom and cunning, the pasha with dexterity eliminated enemy intrigues. This is another reason to visit the Rustem Pasha Mosque.

Family life of the chief vizier of the Ottoman Empire

In 1539, Rustem marries the only daughter of Sultan Suleiman I, Mihrimah, whom he has long been in love with.

According to the script of the TV series "The Magnificent Century", Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska recommended Rustem as a groom for her daughter. And the wedding took place only because the pasha was extremely impressed by the Sultan, because the last word belonged to the head of state. But Mihrimah was against this union. It was like that in the show, but not in reality.

How happy the Sultan's daughter was in marriage to the Pasha, we can only guess, but historical sources say that they had common children. Husband and wife did charity work together, opened foundations and sponsored the construction of various social institutions of that time.

Legend of the Grand Vizier Mosque

To this day, the Rustem Pasha Mosque is beautiful. The master died already at the age of 60 from dropsy, leaving the young Mihrimah Sultan with the children. In memory of her beloved husband, she decides to build a mosque. It was designed by the well-known architect of that time, Sinan, who created religious centers and madrasahs on the orders of Sultan Suleiman and Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska Haseki Sultan.

Usually mosques were built with at least two minarets, but Mihrimah Sultan ordered Sinan to build a mosque with one graceful minaret, which would symbolize her loneliness and devotion to her husband even after his death.

Nowadays, the Rustem Pasha Mosque is open to tourists. Feedback from visitors is only positive. There is a bustling market around the building, but once inside, the visitor will hear only his own thoughts!

Rustem Pasha Mosque: description

The construction of the religious project began shortly before the death of the said gentleman in 1561. So the chief adviser did not have time to see her. The opening of the holy place took place in 1563. The Rustem Pasha Mosque was built in just two years.

The exterior of the building is simple. It has a classical rectangular shape at the base with one main dome and one minaret. However, the interior of the mosque is striking at first sight. The family of Mihrimah and Rustem had a huge fortune, so the daughter of the Sultan did not skimp on the decorations of the mosque.

The walls are lined with expensive blue-blue tiles of that time. It depicts all sorts of patterns and ornaments made of flowers, including tulips (a symbol of a noble family). Pottery masters from Iznik painstakingly worked on the image of the city of Mecca (the center of Islam) on the main tile.

The Rustem Pasha Mosque has good lighting due to the large number of windows in the dome and walls of the building. In combination with the blue-blue walls, the lighting seems to envelop the visitors of the mosque with a historical cover.

How to find an attraction

The mosque was built not far from the main palace of the Ottoman Empire - Topkapi - in the Eminonu area, near the bay. The high-speed tram line T1 will take you there. The fare is 4 lira.

The building is surrounded by a spice market, and it is quite difficult to find the entrance to the mosque on your own. However, people will point you to an inconspicuous door. The Rustem Pasha Mosque receives visitors free of charge from 9 am until sunset. But keep in mind that visiting the mosque during namaz (prayer) as a tourist is strictly prohibited!

Mosque of Rustem Pasha. A photo for memory is a must!

It's not every day that you visit buildings that are over 500 years old. Feel free to show off your photos to your friends. The cards will convey the greatness, monumentality and faith of the people built in the Middle Ages.

Istanbul is famous all over the world for its unique religious complexes, and many of us have heard about the Blue Mosque, Suleymaniye and Hagia Sophia. But few people know that in the metropolis there is another very interesting building - the Rustem Pasha Mosque. Lost among the trading shops of the Egyptian Bazaar, the shrine from afar looks quite simple and resembles the most ordinary mosque. What can not be said about its interior decoration, presented in Iznik ceramics, symbolic for Turkey, which definitely deserves the attention of a traveler. You can learn a detailed description of the mosque, as well as information about its location from our article.

Detailed information about Hagia Sophia is presented on, about the Blue Mosque -.

Short story

The initiator of the construction of the temple was Rustem Pasha, a talented statesman who rose to the rank of Ottoman Grand Vizier. But most of all he is known for his marriage with the only daughter of Suleiman the Magnificent Mihrimah.

Rustem Pasha was known as a very difficult person who had many spiteful critics, but it was he who helped the wife of the padishah Roksolana to uncover the plot of the eldest son of Sultan Mustafa against his father. Upon learning of the betrayal, the Ottoman ruler gave the order to strangle Mustafa and execute all his sons. After these events, the padishah, dejected by what had happened, moved away from the vizier, but soon changed his anger to mercy. During his state activity, Rustem Pasha managed to accumulate a lot of money, mainly due to bribery, which, in general, was considered commonplace in those days.

The vizier spent part of the accumulated sums on charity and the construction of public buildings. In 1550, the pasha decides to build a mosque and, to implement his idea, invites the eminent Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, who four years earlier built the great Suleymaniye Mosque for the Sultan himself. But the vizier was not destined to see the finished building: he dies in 1561, a year before the completion of the construction of the mosque. Many of Rustem Pasha's ill-wishers later blamed him for his stinginess in the decoration of the building, believing that the shrine should look more luxurious and majestic.

Today, the Rustem Pasha Mosque in Istanbul is an active temple, where services are held daily. But many tourists simply ignore this attraction. Perhaps this is due to the location of the mosque: firstly, it is located somewhat remotely from the main historical sites of the city, and secondly, it is rather problematic to find the entrance to the building. But when visiting Istanbul, it is definitely worth looking at the shrine, because its interior will touch the hearts of even the most sophisticated travelers.

Architecture and interior decoration

If you look at the photo of the Rustem Pasha Mosque from the outside, the building may seem rather modest and no different from other Islamic temples. The building has a classical rectangular shape, one minaret is installed on the side. In the center of the mosque there is one large dome with a diameter of 16 meters, which is supported by four smaller sub-domes. Near the facade there is a small courtyard with a traditional fountain for ablutions before prayer.

But only once inside, the traveler realizes how deceptive the first impression can be. As in Suleymaniye, the architect Sinan paid great attention to lighting here. In order to make the most of the natural solar source, the architect installed 24 windows on the main dome, due to which the interior of the mosque turned out to be very bright.

The interior of the shrine is dominated by a special type of ceramic tile, produced in only one Turkish city called Iznik. A characteristic feature of such tiles are geometric patterns made of stems and flowers: artisans managed to create more than 70 different shapes from just one tulip. Iznik craftsmen worked especially carefully on the main tile of the temple, depicting sacred Mecca.

Initially, tiles of rich blue and turquoise shades were used in the decoration of the shrine. But in the future, the interior was supplemented with ceramics of light purple and emerald colors. The floors in the temple are decorated with red carpets with blue ornaments, and in the center of the hall hangs a large chandelier with dozens of lamps. The main dome inside is painted white and decorated with gold patterns. Arched window openings are also presented in light colors and many of them are decorated with stained glass.

In general, in the decoration of the mosque named after Rustem Pasha, the style of the architect Sinan is clearly traced, who managed to create a peaceful atmosphere in the temple that meets the main goal of the institution - the unity of parishioners with God. And he was helped in this by the skillful creations of masters from Iznik, which today are considered an exemplary indicator of Iznik pottery.

Practical information

The address: Rüstem Paşa Mahallesi, Hasırcılar Cd. No:62, 34116 Fatih District, Istanbul.

Visiting hours: you can go to the mosque in between prayers.

Price: the entrance is free.

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How to get there

The temple of Rustem Pasha is located on the New Mosque Square in the Eminenu district of Istanbul. To get to the object, you need to use the tram line T 1 Kabataş - Bağcılar. It is very convenient that the tram of this branch passes near the main attractions of Istanbul, such as Hagia Sophia and Topkapi. If you are departing from Sultanahmet Square, you can board the train at Sultanahmet or Gülhane Station and disembark at Eminönü. Next, you need to walk about 600 meters to the Egyptian Market to the west of the stop along Ragıp Gümüşpala Cd.

The entrance to the mosque is hidden among the stalls of the bazaar, so finding it is not so easy. You will have to wander through the narrow streets of the market in search of a staircase that leads to the desired place. In order not to waste too much time, contact the locals and ask them to point you in the right direction.

On a note: In which area of ​​\u200b\u200bIstanbul is it better for a traveler to stay, see.

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Visiting Rules

As in any other religious institution, the Rustem Pasha Mosque in Istanbul must follow special rules. First of all, they relate to the appearance. Women should be covered with their heads, hands and feet should also be hidden from prying eyes. Men are not allowed to enter in shorts and a T-shirt. When entering the shrine, be sure to take off your shoes, leaving them at the door or putting them in your bag.

In the mosque, they can pray not only during prayer hours, but also at any other time. Therefore, if there are praying parishioners in the hall, you should not walk next to them. Loud conversations and laughter are not allowed in the temple, you need to behave calmly and carefully. Taking photos in the Rustem Pasha Mosque in Istanbul is not prohibited, but even here it is worth exercising restraint and, if possible, not violating the established procedures.

Conclusion

The Rustem Pasha Mosque is a little-known landmark of Istanbul, so here you will not find crowds of tourists. The calm and peaceful atmosphere of the temple, combined with its skillful decoration, will definitely give you new impressions. Therefore, when visiting the metropolis, do not forget to add this object to your excursion list.

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