Suleimaniye

In the Suleimaniye district is the Mosque (1550-1557) with the same name that was built by order of Sultan Suleiman I, nicknamed the Magnificent. Its 4 minarets (a number allowed only for Sultans - princes/princesses could only have 2), tower over the 4 corners of a large courtyard. The minarets have a total of 10 galleries (serifes) which indicate that the Sultan was the tenth of the Ottoman dynasty. Highlights are the 53 meter high dome and its delicate decoration of pearl tiles and wood. Like other imperial mosques in Istanbul it's surrounded by a complex of similar architecture, consisting of hospitas, several different schools, medical school and public kitchen.