One of the most beautiful mosques in Istanbul is the Suleiman Mosque.

Every visitor to Istanbul will notice it because of its unique location on one of Istanbul's hills. The whole complex is huge, and besides the mosque, it also includes a madrasa, a canteen, a spa and an armoury.

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The average visitor won't need too much time to visit the Suleiman Mosque, just about half an hour. But be sure to set aside enough time to admire the mosque from the outside.

Four minarets and ten balconies

The Suleiman Mosque owes its origins to Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, who had it built in the 16th century. In his honour, the mosque received four minarets with ten balconies, one minaret for each former sultan who ruled the present-day city and one balcony for each since the founding of the Ottoman Empire.

In addition to the unique view of the mosque from afar and from across the Golden Horn, you'll find some real gems inside.

The huge dome is 47 metres high and you can enjoy the rich decoration of calligraphy, mosaics and stained glass.

It may be slightly smaller than the Blue Mosque, but its position on the hill makes it look extremely monumental.

Beautiful views of the whole of Istanbul

I would visit the Suleiman Mosque if only because I think it offers the most beautiful view of central Istanbul.

And it's completely free.

I liked it probably more than the view from the overpriced Galata Tower.

Admission and opening hours

The Suleiman Mosque is still a functioning mosque, and thus open 24 hours a day for worshippers.

Non-Muslims can visit it every day from 8:30am to 8:00pm outside of prayer times.

The Suleiman Mosque is free of charge.

Visiting works by entering through the main entrance. After that, you must undress and if your shoulders or knees are exposed, you can borrow a robe hanging loosely at the entrance for free.

Transportation to Suleiman Mosque

You can take a longer walk to Suleiman Mosque from the most important sights of Istanbul (Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar).

The closest is the Grand Bazaar, from where I walked for about 10 minutes.

If you prefer public transport, there are the following options:

• Tram - Laleli-Üniveriste stop: tram number 1 runs from Istanbul's most important monuments in the Sultanahmet district and also from the west side of the city.
• Metro - Vezneciler stop: the M2 line will bring you here from the north of the city

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