SULEYMANIYE MOSQUE

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Süleymaniye cami : An Idiom to the Ottoman empire Istanbul , Turkey

Sruthi K VSPARC , VIT

History of Architecture Shefali Nayak October 27 ,2018

2 An outline of Byzantium

Byzantine architecture, as the name suggests , was the style of constructing buildings in Constantinople . Present day Istanbul , which was formerly the ancient kingdom of Byzantium , had architects with an obscure way of constructing their imperial as well as important residential buildings. Their heavily drawn inspiration from roman buildings led to the construction of churches that had a combination of basilica as well as a symmetrical central plan church aka the characteristic Byzantine greek cross plan church . Churches are an important part of Byzantine period and architecture since after the fall of Rome , this kingdom became the one most dominant power focused on spreading the orthodox religion . One of their important features was the domed roof .

One reason for this might be that this is the lineage of the Roman architecture. Most of the Byzantine structures have rising spaces and magnificent decorations . This category of architecture is where the technique of raising domes on piers was essentially invented . It allowed lighting and communication from all the four directions. Since the dome was hemispherical and the base was cubic, the transition between these was achieved using pendentives . 1 These kind of domes were mostly used in the Renaissance and the Baroque periods.

To simply put , a mosaic is an interior decoration or artwork that is made by putting together small broken pieces of glass, pebbles or stone to depict an imagery .

These artworks were an important part of ancient imperial buildings usually used as a means to tell the history of the place and their religious beliefs . Mosaics were popularly known for depicting mythological scenes of olden times , such as , the victorious sto1 Kathleen

kuiper , “byzantine architecture,� January 30 2009 , encyclopaedia Britannica , accessed September 27 2018 , https://www.britannica.com/art/Byzantine-architecture

3 ries of Neptune . Other kind of inspirations were taken from everyday chores such as agriculture , fishing, also arts and crafts . 2 This research paper talks the influence of Byzantine architecture on the Süleymaniye mosque located on the third hill of Istanbul , Turkey .

A Historic blurb

It is said to be the biggest mosque of Istanbul at present . It was built by Mimar Sinan under the orders of Suleyman the magnificent over a span of 7 years around 1550 - 1557 AD . This mosque is less ornamental compared to the other mosques of its time but still stands out for its simple decorations that provides the mosque a subtle essence of Islamic architecture . Just like any other mosque , this complex also served various other purpose such as hospital , Hamam , madrasa , library , hospice for the

Fig 1.1., Sülemaniye mosque’s skyline view

2 carinemahy,

.”Mosaic " Ancient History Encyclopedia. Last modified April 28, 2011. https:// www.ancient.eu/Mosaic/.

4 poor and other shops . This mosque is said to be the best example of Ottoman islamic architecture .

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The Süleymaniye mosque and its dependencies were built around the mosque perimeters with other serviceable units which served the social , religious and financial purposes in a tightly wrapped plan around the mosque . This was achieved by placing Zawiya mosques that were accompanied by Madrasas , Mausolea's and Caravanerais .

Early Ottoman mosques had the hostels for the Sufi sheikhs around them in a loosely arranged manner demonstrating the importance of these coloniser sheikhs around that time .

fig 1.2., the interior central dome and the tympanums

The information about the historical and cultural importance of the complex is explained and documented in detailed inventories , books and other lists that explain the buildings in the complex in proper architectural vocabulary and their functions .

Burak sansal .“süleymaniye mosque “ . All about Istanbul . Accessed on October 26 , 2018 http://www.greatistanbul.com/suleymaniye_mosque.html 3

5 Some of these books include the Süleimaniye’s waqfiyya , the Tezkiretü l-bünyān written by sinan’s poet painter friend Mustafa sai Çelebi . These sources portray the mosque in its symbolic meaning . The dependencies around the mosque are considered significant for the purposes they serve . The culturally important architectonic elements of the complex are considered to be the Minbar [ a pulpit in the mosque where the Imam delivers the sermons ] , the Mihrab [ I semicircular niche on the wall that indicates the Qibla , the direction of the Mecca ] , the pulpits, the royal box , the elaborate stained glass windows , the artistic inscriptions , porphyry discs , the columns of rare marble , the colossal piers and to end with the magnificent central domes and its subsidiaries. The exterior architectural elements considered important would be the four minarets each of different sizes , the arcaded marble courtyard , Mausolea and its outer precinct .

When the walls speak

Fig 2.1., the minbars and the mihrabs

6 Every small detail in the mosque is a symbolic representation of verses from the books and poems written about the life of sinan or a document about the mosque .

From small motifs to the lamps to the windows everything is annotated in the former .

Whereas the mausolea of Süleyman and his wife resemble the panels donated by him to the dome of the rocks , site of the Solomon's temple , which was ornamented with glazed panels with blossoming tree and flower motifs . Its double dome inside is supported by a circular colonnade supported by its octagonal ambulatory. 4

In certain books of that period it is also mentioned that large complexes such as this mosque were merely considered as symbols of political significance rather than its social purpose considering the fact that there were enough numbers of royal Friday mosques in the city . In the book of etiquette written by Mustafa Ali on murad III around 995 , this was clearly recognised in the verses

"To build masjids and mosques in the well developed and prosperous seat of government and likewise to construct convents and madrasas in a famous capital are not pious deeds performed to acquire merit in gods sight .every wise and intelligent man knows that these are pious deeds performed in order to accomplish being a leader and to make a good reputation . There are thousands of towns whose inhabitants are in need of masjids and convents ……..yet those who wish to perform pious deeds

4 Necipoglu,

Gulru. The Suleymaniye Complex in Istanbul: An Interpretation. In Muqarnas III: An Annual on Islamic Art and Architecture, edited by Oleg Grabar. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1985.

7 for ostentation and display obviously wish to be renowned in cities which are seats of the throne ." 5

About the outer nuances , there are three entrances to the mosques inside which the floor is covered with carpet with the interiors dimly lit with chandeliers giving an essence of the time when there were only candles . There are four minarets , the front two being of height about 74 metres and the other two about 56 metres . The taller ones have three balconies unlike the shorter ones which have one less , which is said to be symbolising Suleyman as the tenth sultan since the beginning of the ottoman empire and the fourth sultan after the conquest of Constantinople . Each of the balconies have separate stairways . The mosque's inner courtyard had a fountain of ablutions which dry today and the outer porticos are supported using columns topped with domes to protect people from sun and rain according to seasons .

About the massive central dome, it has a diameter of about 27 metres and a height of about 53 metres containing massive arched and about four columns supporting the main dome which is intricately designed with floral patterns and calligraphy from the Quran . The acoustic quality of the dome is said to be incredibly sharp . The architect , Sinan , built the central dome in such a manner that the sermons were made audible to everyone . The southeast side of the complex has an old cemetery used to bury important people of that time . Sultan Süleyman , his wife Hürrem and Sinan’s bodies have their own mausoleums inside the complex . 6 some other important features of the mosque include the mist rooms that was a brilliant addition to handle the mist that was

5

Gelibolulu Mustafa Ali , Mevä’ídü n-nefä’is , pp 177-78

6 Burak

sansal .“süleymaniye mosque “ . All about Istanbul . Accessed on October 26 , 2018 http://www.greatistanbul.com/suleymaniye_mosque.html

8 emitted from the oil lamps used in those days . Another feature was the ostrich eggs that were put between lamp bowls in the chandelier to prevent the mosque from being infested with scorpions and spiders. An interesting fact as to how this palace has been untouched by the ravages of time was the hand written document found in a hidden hole somewhere in the palace that was written by the architect himself . This document covered word by word details about the methods to protect the arch stones that were worn out after a long time . 7

The quantum leap of architecture

Fig 3.1., Hagia Sophia and Süleymaniye mosque [ top to bottom ]

7 Mustafa

Gökhan . “süleymaniye mosque” . Tour maker turkey , http://www.tourmakerturkey.com/suleymaniye-mosque.html

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"The Sülemaniye mosque looks like a replica of the world renowned Hagia Sophia", is just a blank understatement. The Süleymaniye mosque was built almost a millennium after the erection of Hagia Sophia and the intricate details behind every wall and structure has a knee deep meaning. The imperial architect Sinan stated that his earlier work in Istanbul ‘Sehzade cami' ( 1543-48 ) was a rather sophisticated form of Hagia Sophia. And his design of the Süleymaniye mosque was a refined version of the Sehzade cami design. Yet he goes on to explain that the design was more of a çompetition’ rather than an ‘imitation’. One of the major constructional differences was the overcoming of the structural defect in Hagia Sophia to create a statement that defines the Ottoman architecture .

Some of the similarities that strikes in both these mosques are the elliptical inner space that was achieved by extending the two half domes to provide the central nave [refer fig 3.1.,] . Though this seems like a similarity , its basis and religious reasons vary hugely . Early European Christian churches were known to split spaces and gave importance to directionality thus emphasising on the reason of splitting to the domes and supporting them on two separate tympanums as shown in Hagia Sophia .

In the Süleymaniye mosque , this emphasis on directionality is of mere importance . The only direction they consider important enough to affect the structural qualities of the building is the direction of Mecca . The mosque also has two tympanums like the former but it does not have the whole load on it as the load is smoothly being transferred to the surrounding colonnades .

10 The colonnades and galleries in Hagia Sophia are intended to provide a directional sense to the structure whereas in Sinan’s structure it provides a sense of unity between the nave and the aisles .

Sinan’s structures get an upper hand over Hagia Sophia when it comes to light , which plays an important role in such imperial buildings which serve the purpose of spiritual connection. This is because when light enters through the upper domes , tympanums , exedras , the main drum and other openings in the upper half the light that comes in at the human eye level is disrupted by the screen of colonnades . In The Süleymaniye mosque these colonnades are not redundant hence adding on to the missing piece in the former and lighting up the inner space uniformly leading to a centrifugal effect , the expanding feel on the boundaries .

As for the decorations of the Süleymaniye mosque , which the Turkish scholars often neglect while focusing on the architectural features of the mosques which is important to contrast with its western counterparts , the intricate muqarnas ( geometric part of squinch ) that imitate the honeycombs , provide an obscure effect of flickering light and enhances the spatial quality of the inner space .

Fig 3.2., Hagia Sophia skyline view

11 In the End

When it comes historical structures , it is important to keep in mind that these are tokens of our ancestors that has been bestowed on us and will also be inherited by the future generations . These buildings narrate a story that is interpreted by various people in various ways . Comparing two of these stories can not be considered a just way to decide one’s superiority over the other .

Fig 4.1., Süleymaniye mosque domes Nevertheless , for our study above and to understand why the structure was built in the obscure it is now , we compare it with another similar building of its time . Hence the Süleymaniye mosque not only being an open challenge to one of Justinian masterpiece was also an idiom to the ottoman empire , that being the Hagia Sophia . 8

Mio Takikawa ,Hagia Sophia and Sinan’s Mosques: Structure and Decoration in Süleymaniye Mosque and Selimiye Mosque , accessed on October 26, 2018.

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Bibliography

1 Kathleen

kuiper , “byzantine architecture,” January 30 2009 , encyclopaedia Britannica , accessed September 27 2018 , https://www.britannica.com/art/Byzantine-architecture 2 carinemahy,

.”Mosaic " Ancient History Encyclopedia. Last modified April 28, 2011. https:// www.ancient.eu/Mosaic/.

Burak sansal .“süleymaniye mosque “ . All about Istanbul . Accessed on October 26 , 2018 http://www.greatistanbul.com/suleymaniye_mosque.html 3

4 Necipoglu,

Gulru. The Suleymaniye Complex in Istanbul: An Interpretation. In Muqarnas III: An Annual on Islamic Art and Architecture, edited by Oleg Grabar. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1985.

5

Gelibolulu Mustafa Ali , Mevä’ídü n-nefä’is , pp 177-78

6 Burak

sansal .“süleymaniye mosque “ . All about Istanbul . Accessed on October 26 , 2018 http://www.greatistanbul.com/suleymaniye_mosque.html 7 Mustafa

Gökhan . “süleymaniye mosque” . Tour maker turkey , http://www.tourmakerturkey.com/suleymaniye-mosque.html Mio Takikawa ,Hagia Sophia and Sinan’s Mosques: Structure and Decoration in Süleymaniye Mosque and Selimiye Mosque , accessed on October 26, 2018.

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