Five Centuries on One Slope: Üsküdar’s Mosques

1. 01
   History

   Notice the Terrace by the Pier

   Start at Mihrimah Sultan Mosque by the pier, built by Sinan in the 1540s for Mihrimah Sultan. The mosque sits on a platform just above the square descending to the ferry docks. Its main dome is expanded by three semi-domes, and the double-porticoed last congregation area shows one of the early experiments of the classical Ottoman period.

   Üsküdar Mihrimah Sultan Camii, Üsküdar, Istanbul, Turkey
2. 02
   History

   See a Waterfront Mosque Complex

   Continue to Şemsi Paşa Mosque, part of the Şemsi Ahmed Paşa Complex built in 1580 during Sinan’s final years. It is considered one of his smallest külliyes. The mosque, madrasa, and tomb were placed right at sea level, and the north portico of the courtyard looks directly onto the Bosphorus and across to Sarayburnu.

   Şemsi Paşa Camii, Üsküdar, Istanbul, Turkey
3. 03
   Local

   Take a Break in the Bazaar

   Pause in Üsküdar Bazaar around Hakimiyet-i Milliye, the everyday face of the district between the pier and the uphill route. Pickle sellers, nut shops, sherbet vendors, and fishmongers share just a few streets here. Since the rest of the walk keeps climbing, this is the last flat stretch and the right place to grab water or a snack.

   Üsküdar Çarşısı, Hakimiyet-i Milliye Caddesi, Üsküdar, Istanbul, Turkey
4. 04
   History

   Look for Byzantium in a Mosque

   Visit Rum Mehmed Paşa Mosque, built in 1471–72 only twenty years after the conquest. Its patron was a vizier of Greek origin, and the semi-dome supporting the main dome on the mihrab side is not a typical solution for the tabhane-style mosques of the period. That unusual feature is often linked to the patron’s cultural background.

   Rum Mehmed Paşa Camii, Üsküdar, Istanbul, Turkey
5. 05
   Art

   Count the Baroque Curves

   At Ayazma Mosque, you reach the point where Üsküdar’s classical era gives way to a different style. The curved moldings on the facades, oval window arrangements, and ornamental language belong not to Sinan’s geometry but to the Baroque taste of the 18th century. On the same slope, the stylistic shift becomes tangible.

   Ayazma Camii, Üsküdar, Istanbul, Turkey
6. 06
   Culture

   Walk Sinan’s Hilltop City

   Explore Atik Valide Complex, built by Sinan in the 1570s for Nurbanu Valide Sultan. With its mosque, madrasa, dervish lodge, darülhadis, darülkurra, imaret, hospital, and bath, the ensemble functions like a small city on its own. It is one of the clearest examples of how the architect organized a complete urban complex in his mature period.

   Atik Valide Külliyesi, Üsküdar, Istanbul, Turkey
7. 07
   Art

   Get Close to the Tiles in a Small Mosque

   Continue to Çinili Mosque, commissioned in 1640 by Kösem Mahpeyker Valide Sultan. Its interior barely reaches nine meters across, yet the walls are covered from top to bottom in tiles: blue, turquoise, and green peonies, tulips, and hyacinths on a white ground. The complex’s primary school, fountain, and bath also survive.

   Çinili Camii, Üsküdar, Istanbul, Turkey
8. 08
   Art

   Face the Mosque of Today

   Finish at Şakirin Mosque, opened in 2009. The building was designed by Hüsrev Tayla, while the interior was arranged by Zeynep Fadıllıoğlu, who is widely noted as the first woman to design the interior of a mosque. Its aluminum composite dome, 35-meter minarets, and drop-shaped glass chandelier define the building’s signature look.

   Şakirin Camii, Üsküdar, Istanbul, Turkey

Check opening hours before you go. Hours, access conditions and weather can change.