Süleymaniye Mosque

Usually much less hustle and bustle than the Blue Mosque, but much more important. Architecturally, the Suleymaniye is the must-see next to the Hagia Sophia. And in terms of architectural history it is also much more important than the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. The way over here is worth it.

The Suleymaniye Mosque is one of the grandest mosques in Istanbul. It towers majestically on the third hill of the old town above the Golden Horn.
It is the second largest prayer house in Istanbul after the Blue Mosque. The main dome has a sensational height of 50 meters and a diameter of 27 meters. Two large arches, located on the north and south sides, are each supported by two red granite columns. One of the columns comes from the Temple of Zeus in Baalbek (modern-day Lebanon), one from Alexandria and the other two from Byzantine palaces in Istanbul. They are said to symbolize the first caliphs in Islam.

Great view of Istanbul.