Sinanpasha Mosque

Sinanpasha Mosque

Sinanpasha Mosque, built by famous architect Mimar Sinan in 1555, the Sinan Paşa Mosque (Sinan Pasha Camii) is an Ottoman mosque located in a densely populated neighborhood of Istanbul, Besiktas. Sinan Pasha Mosque, also called Besiktas Mosque, is one of the most underrated Ottoman mosques in Istanbul due to its unfortunate location.

Sinan Pasha: The Grand Admiral of Ottoman Navy
The mosque was commissioned by Sinan Pasha in 1550, who was the grand admiral (Kaptan-ı Derya) of the Ottoman navy between 1550 and 1553. Before the construction of the mosque, Sinan Pasha died in 1553 and could not see his work finish. Therefore he was not able to be buried in his own mosque – hence his grave is at Mihrimah Sultan Mosque. It was built as a mosque complex (külliye) including a mosque, madrasa (religious high school), mektep (primary school), and hamam (Turkish bath); however, today only the mosque and madrasa sections are surviving. Other structures part of the mosque complex were destroyed in the 1950s due to road constructions.

The plan of the Sinan Pasha Mosque is rectangular in shape with a dome in the center and two small domes on both sides of the main dome. This architectural feature of the mosque is very similar with early Ottoman mosque architecture. Nevertheless, the dome of the mosque is supported by a hexagonal inner structure and this is the most important and unique characteristic of the mosque. Compared to other mosques built by Mimar Sinan, interior of the Sinan Pasha Mosque is less decorated because of untimely loss of Sinan Pasha during the construction phase. In the past few years, the mosque was under restoration. The mosque was re-opened to public in 2014.

Amazing facts about the Sinan Pasha Mosque
Sinan Pasha -who commissioned the mosque- died in 1553 before the construction of the mosque and he was buried to the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque Complex in Üsküdar.

Sinan Pasha was the younger brother of Grand Vizier Rüstem Pasha, who also commissioned the Rüstempasha Mosque built by Sinan.

How to get to the Sinan Pasha Mosque
Situated in Besiktas, the easiest way to get to the Sinan Pasha Mosque is to take a boat from Kadıköy, Eminönü, or Üsküdar and get off at Besiktas. The mosque is across the Besiktas pier.

What else nearby?
The mosque is located in Besiktas, one of the most densely neighborhoods of Istanbul and also between the neighborhoods of Kabatas and Ortaköy, there are important sights in the area including Istanbul Naval Museum, Ortaköy neighborhood, Ortaköy Mosque, and Dolmabahce Palace Museum.

Opening hours of the Sinan Pasha Mosque
The Sinan Pasha Mosque is open from 9am-6pm every day, but closed at prayer times. There is no ticket price of the mosque, but donations are welcome.