Tag: Mimar Sinan

Travel Photography – Istanbul Series 3:- Süleymaniye Mosque

A visit to Istanbul

This is the third blog derived from a three-day visit to Istanbul in February 2012. Visiting Istanbul in February or March turned out to be a good idea.  Many fewer other tourists and much cooler (almost too cool with a day of snow!).

One of the drawbacks / challenges of photographing the amazing Mosques and Byzantine architecture was that they do not permit the use of tripods – not even monopods.  I should have had a beanbag – I did get a fair number of lengthy exposures (8-10 secs) by placing the cameras on the floor, against pillars etc. and using a remote release.

The Süleymaniye Mosque

The Süleymaniye Mosque was built between 1550 and 1558.  It has blended Islamic and Byzantine architectural elements. It combines tall, slender minarets with large domed buildings supported by half domes in the style of the Byzantine church Hagia Sophia.  The interior of the mosque is almost a square, 59 meters in length and 58 meters in width, forming a single vast space which creates an inspiring place of worship and prayer. The dome is flanked by semi-domes, and to the north and south arches with tympana-filled windows, supported by enormous porphyry monoliths.  It was a privilege to be able to visit this amazing place.

 

 

Travel Photography – Istanbul Series 2:- Sultanahmet Cami – The Blue Mosque

A visit to Istanbul

This is the second blog derived from a three-day visit to Istanbul in February 2012. We stayed in the Old City at the “And Hotel” which was great – within walking distance of the main sites of interest, one of which was the Blue Mosque.

 

Sultanahmet Cami – The Blue Mosque

This is a breathtaking building built from 1609 to 1616.  Intricate patterns and designs cover virtually the entire interior.  The mosque is popularly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior.

The design of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque is the culmination of two centuries of both Ottoman mosque and Byzantine church development. It incorporates some Byzantine elements of the neighbouring Hagia Sophia with traditional Islamic architecture and is considered to be the last great mosque of the Ottoman architecture classical period. The architect has ably synthesized the ideas of his master Mimar Sinan, aiming for overwhelming size, majesty and splendour.