Istanbul - Nustretiye mosques

Nustretiye mosques

Nustretiye mosques

The Nusretiye Mosque was built by Mahmud II as part of a larger project to rebuild the Tophane artillery barracks that burnt in a fire. The complex is located to the West the Bosphorus, below Tophane. The mosque`s architecture is influenced by Islamic elements but includes also a strong baroque influence.

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Its architect is Krikor Balyan who was the first of nine architects belonging to the Armenian family who served the royal family throughout the nineteenth century. The mosque was named Nusretiye which means Victory, in celebration of the sultan's recent abolition of the rebellious janissary troops and in favor of a new western-style army. Besides the mosque Mahmut III organized the rebuilding of the artillery barracks. Later Abdülmecid I added a clock tower and built a kiosk. The Nustretiye mosques has a square prayer hall. Untypical is that the complex lacks a courtyard, which is a prominent feature in classical Ottoman mosques: Instead of this it has a small side courtyard. Inside, the prayer hall is crowned with a single couple, raised on four grand coloums that spring from the four corners. There is an integrated women's prayer section. All of the upper windows of the mosque have faux frames painted in the baroque style. As in the Nuruismanye Mosque there is Sura inscribted by calligraphy. It is written in gold celi style letters over a dark background by the famous calligrapher Mustafa Rakim.

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Nustretiye mosques by istanbul turkey.co.uk