Bayezid II Mosque

About Bayezid II Mosque

Bayezid II Mosque is a mosque in Istanbul.

The Bayezid II Mosque on Beyazıt Square in historic Istanbul, on the city's third hill near the ruins of the Forum of Theodosius, was the second great imperial mosque complex built in Istanbul after the conquest of 1453. Since the earlier Fatih Mosque was destroyed by earthquakes and rebuilt in a different style, the Bayezid complex is the oldest imperial complex in Istanbul preserved more or less in its original form, which gives it great historical and architectural importance. Commissioned by Sultan Bayezid II and built between 1500 and 1505, it is usually attributed to the architect Yakubşah or Hayreddin; part of its dome was rebuilt after the 1509 earthquake and Mimar Sinan oversaw repairs in 1574. Its central dome flanked by two semi-domes was an important step towards the classical Ottoman mosque, and its spacious courtyard is surrounded by porticoes on marble and granite columns around an octagonal ablution fountain, with two widely spaced minarets at either end. A külliye was added right afterwards: a madrasa completed in 1507, now a museum of calligraphy, a large hamam, a soup kitchen, a caravanserai and mausolea, including Bayezid II's own tomb. Tradition says he collected the dust from his clothes on campaign and asked that it be buried with him.

Where:

Istanbul, Türkiye