
Together, Suleymaniye (1550-57) & Sultanahmet (1609-16, better known today as the Blue Mosque) are an awe inspiring testament to the power of faith & the splendour of the Ottoman Empire. These two mosques, bearing the names & housing the mausoleums of the Sultans who built them
- Suleyman & Ahmed I
- are supreme examples of Ottoman architecture, each richly adorned with stone carving, tiling & calligraphy. Each was built with an adjacent complex (kulliye) which contained the finest schools of the time, as well as hospitals, shops, soup kitchens & public baths. This book is a richly illustrated guide to Suleymaniye & Sultanahmet. It
Includes:: an in-depth study of the architecture, situating the mosques within the wider context of the Ottoman political & artistic milieu of their time, & examining the religious, social & educational activity that revolved around each complex.