AN EVALUATION OF THE STONE ORNAMENTS OF MIHRIMAH SULTAN MOSQUE IN USKUDAR

Abstract

Also known as the Pier (Iskele) Mosque, Mihrimah Sultan Mosque is located in Istanbul's Uskudar province, at Uskudar Square. According to the Arabic inscription written on the entrance gate of the mosque, it was ordered to be built by Mihrimah Sultan, the daughter of Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566), and completed in 954/1548. The mosque was located within a complex consisting of buildings such as a madrasa, primary school, guesthouse, khan, alongside with trenches, and a fountain, built by Sinan the Architect. In later periods, two shrines, a bathhouse, pavilion, and muvakkithane were added to the complex. However, the guesthouse, khan, and pavilion were later taken down, and the bathhouse no longer serves for its purpose today. "Mesrutas" (lodgement) of the mosque burned down during the reign of Sultan Abdulmecid, and the muvakkithane was taken down in 1956.