Şemsi Pasha Mosque

Amid the hustle and bustle of the Istanbul waterfront, with ferries coming in and out of shore, with peddlers and pedestrians walking by, with the sights and smells of Turkish food vendors, and with two large historic mosques across the street and the public square, you can step right into this site and walk through the courtyard.

Known in Turkish as Şemsi Paşa Camii, this mosque is unique for several reasons. First, it is smaller size than other Ottoman mosques of the 16th century. Second, the namesake of the mosque, the Grand Vizier Şemsi Pasha, has a mausoleum joining the prayer hall itself (unlike other Ottoman mosques, where tombs tend to be in separate buildings from the prayer hall), as well as an additional masoleum designed to abut the waterfront. The architect was Mimar Sinan, who was known for blending his designs with their natural surroundings in what appears to be a perfect symmetry.