Yeni Valide Mosque

The Yeni Valide Mosque better known as the New Mosque, is located next to the Galata Bridge and overviews the Golden Horn. It is also close to the Spice Bazaar. The construction of the mosque was began in 1597 by Safiye Sultan and completed in 1687 by Turhan Hatice Sultan.

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The complex includes a kiosk, a praying room, a gravesite as well as prayer school. The mosques is also enriched by fountains and several stores. The mosque is set parallel to the shoreline and has a typical L-shaped market. It roofs also a cemetery and a large courtyard on the hillside. The mosque can be entered by five gates , the market is to be entered from the street. The courtyard is entered through three portals, one on each side, that are made of cascading set of steps. In the centre of the mosque is a marble fountain with grilled windows between eight columns that hold up a small couple. Especially impressing are the floral arabesques of the fountain. Also Tiling was used to decorate the sections of the mihrab niche. The late classical period decoration of the mosque`s interior is dominated by blue and turquoise colored tiles. Painted arabesques with dominant blue, red and green colours cover the remaining inside of the mosque.

The Sultan's kiosk is located at the Eastern corner of the mosque and rests on a watchtower that was once part of the city walls. The rooms are equipped by furnaces and have a common lavatory between them. A long ramp, attached to the back of the kiosk, allowed the sultan to accede on his horse and to easily enter the the sultan's lodge inside the mosque.

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On the exterior, the kiosk is made of simple brick and stone walls. It is equally known for the exquisite decoration of its interior. Like in the Rüstem Pasa Mosque tiling from Iznik was used for decoration of the walls. In the gravesite of the mosque Turhan Hatice Sultan, Osman III, Mehmed IV, Mustafa II, Ahmed III and Mahmud I were buried.