Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque
Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque
4.5
About
This l6th-century mosque, built on the slope of a hill near Sultanahmet, is one of the most beautiful examples of classical Turkish architecture in the city. Of special interest are the prayer niches and pulpit, which are covered in lovely Iznik tiles.
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Neighbourhood: Sirkeci
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
168 reviews
Excellent
116
Very good
42
Average
7
Poor
1
Terrible
2
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Jon F
Madrid, Spain73 contributions
Mar 2023 • Friends
Not often visited by many but it is really worth it. Stunning to look at, very beautiful inside, incredible tile work. Outside there is a nice cemetery. When we went, we were alone and the guard said we could take a few photos. A highlight.
Written 2 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Azura
Washington DC, DC54 contributions
Jul 2019
The most beautiful mosque in Istanbul -- and a place of serenity in an often hectic city. I visited three times in six days, and the last day I sat quietly for an hour. The caretaker was very kind. His father had taken care of the mosque for decades before him.
Written 29 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alberto Teodosio Biondi
Merate, Italy810 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
Small mosque south of the Blue Mosque, not far from Küçük Ayasofia Camii (Little Sofia). Visited on Thursday evening, without confusion and in complete silence. Beautiful interior ceramics, miharab and minbar.
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Written 8 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nancy C
8 contributions
Jan 2024 • Solo
I found this mosque thanks to the Blue Guide to istanbul (long out of print). No tourists there, just the caretaker who showed me around, let me take photos, and showed me the relic of the Prophet. This was actually in April 1992 (this date not available in teh drop down). I"m so happy to learn that it is still in beautiful condition and not flooded with tourists.
Written 6 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NicJBoston
Brookline, MA710 contributions
May 2019 • Couples
Sokollu Mehmet Pasha was a Bosnian, taken in the devshirme as a child, who later became a powerful administrator. This mosque is a short walk towards the Sea of Marmara from Sultanahmet Square. It is rated very highly by those who have managed to enter it, and we found this to be difficult in 2014. Returning in 2019, we again admired the superb Iznik calligraphic panels above the entrance, but were now allowed without difficulty to see the profusely tiled interior.
Written 19 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jayyen93
Dublin, Ireland595 contributions
Nov 2017 • Solo
Amazingly, despite being so close to perhaps Istanbul's most popular mosque - the Blue Mosque, this mosque is on the other hand oft-ignored. However, I would argue that Sokollu Mehmet Pasa Mosque is more significant architecturally and historically! The Blue Mosque was designed by the pupil of the master architect Mimar Sinan, who was the designer of this mosque. Although lacking the grandeur of the Blue Mosque, SMP Mosque is nonetheless a masterpiece that reveals Mimar Sinan's perfected skills and trumps even his own famous works like Suleimaniye Mosque!
For instance, take a look at the courtyard. Ottoman mosques were designed as a complex to include buildings of various functions like school and hospital, and SMP was no exception. However, while almost every other mosques have these buildings separated and disjointed, all the buildings in SMP were seamlessly integrated by Sinan. The result is a fully functional and harmonious complex! Literally on top of this architectural harmony is the multi-cupola that is an iconic Ottoman mosque element, although on this mosque, the multiple cupolas were designed to complement one another in a harmonious splendor almost as a single multifaceted cupola without the excessive extravagance or redundancy in the works from Sinan's pupils.
Long story short, SMP is truly a masterpiece that is worth the (very short) detour from the main tourist path and may be even more worthy to see than the more famous mosques in Istanbul! I highly recommend seeing this beautiful mosque, especially before this becomes an open secret like Rustem Pasa Mosque.
For instance, take a look at the courtyard. Ottoman mosques were designed as a complex to include buildings of various functions like school and hospital, and SMP was no exception. However, while almost every other mosques have these buildings separated and disjointed, all the buildings in SMP were seamlessly integrated by Sinan. The result is a fully functional and harmonious complex! Literally on top of this architectural harmony is the multi-cupola that is an iconic Ottoman mosque element, although on this mosque, the multiple cupolas were designed to complement one another in a harmonious splendor almost as a single multifaceted cupola without the excessive extravagance or redundancy in the works from Sinan's pupils.
Long story short, SMP is truly a masterpiece that is worth the (very short) detour from the main tourist path and may be even more worthy to see than the more famous mosques in Istanbul! I highly recommend seeing this beautiful mosque, especially before this becomes an open secret like Rustem Pasa Mosque.
Written 26 November 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
emiana
London, UK195 contributions
Visit the Blue Mosque, the Aya Sofya, Topkapi, but then be sure to see this mosque. It's older than the Aya Sofya and the Blue Mosque, it's small and in a great area to explore. The interior is stunning with some of the most beautiful tiles I've seen. Magical place.
Written 6 April 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ItalyMar
Italy284 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
Sometimes tourists don't receive enough information (or the right ones) on places to visit. They have no time to visit everything so they are happy to visit the main places. Istanbul has so many things to visit you cannot blame them if they don't know this small and beautiful mosque. It is not far from the Blue Mosque, a 15-minute walk along narrow streets getting to the sea. Few tourists go there because all stop at the most famous, beautiful and crowded Blue Mosque. But if you have time go to the Sokollu Mosque you will not regret it. Small but really beautiful with its blue tiles, silent with its few tourists. You'll experience the pleasure of few moments of peace of mind before going back to the close touristic streets.
Written 10 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MaksimirDuda
Zagreb, Croatia171 contributions
This was my second visit to this mosque, and once again I was blown away how buitiful it is. It is a little bit hard to find for the first time, but it is definitely worth visiting. Streets around it are full of local shops that are also great to visit (with prices beloe the one on the Great bazar or Spice Bazar)
Written 25 April 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shekhovtsov V
Istanbul, Turkey420 contributions
Feb 2015 • Solo
This great mosque is situated in the lanes of Kadirga area near the Blue Mosque and is really worth of visiting it! You should come after noon, otherwise it could be closed. It has beautiful interiors, decorated with Iznik tiles and its stained glasses give the heavingly blue lights! It also has rare Kaaba of Mecca Black Stone fragments, sacred for Muslim people and very respected. The one is in mikhrab, the one is in minbar. The one more is above the door, as I heard, but it's better to ask the imam of the mosque to be sure. It's a pity it was not allowed to make any photos inside of such a wonderful, fabulous place! A tip here is-after visiting this gorgeos mosque you can take a look at Little Hagia Sophia, which is nearby.
Written 23 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mi sapete indicare orario di apertura e di chiusura?
Grazie
Written 21 July 2019
Good afternoon,
May some one tell me the visit time if this mosque? Does it close at 17 as the Ahmediiye?
Written 29 August 2018
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