The Suleiman mosque was built in Istanbul by the order of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and truly is one of the most outstanding architectural buildings of the East. Time, at the time of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566), the historians have dubbed the Golden age of Istanbul. The dominant force in world politics was then the Ottoman Empire experienced its heyday and has reached the apogee as the Byzantine Empire during the reign of Justinian. For this reason, this period is considered the pinnacle of power in Turkish history.

This mosque, located on one of the seven hills of the city and towering into the heavens, is considered a masterpiece of architectural art. Erected a mosque by the architect Sinan. The construction was started in 1550 and completed in 1557. Architect Sinan was immortalized as "the architect, which does not require architectural design".

This outstanding well-known architect created in 1490 - 588's, and over the fifty years of its creation was the chief court architect five Turkish padishah. He built about four hundred monuments. In the works of Sinan find a lot of similarities with Michelangelo. In his project was built madrasas in Mecca, the mosque in Budapest and a variety of other structures.

According to the existing tradition, the construction of a mosque and complex was carried out for 7 years. The mosque is considered very resistant to earthquakes. When opened the mosque, Sinan said: "This mosque will stand forever." The words of the famous architect confirms the story of what happened 500 years of earthquakes. During this entire period of twenty-four important monument, which was built by Sinan, has not suffered from 89 major earthquakes up to seven points on the Richter scale.

The architect has realized an ambitious idea of Suleiman the Magnificent. Built in 1550 – 1557 mosque gave the city a certain charm, to which nothing could compare. Sinan in his autobiography wrote that the Church of Hagia Sophia, was the most important criterion for the evaluation of all the creatures that he created. He always wanted to prove to everyone that "you can build better than the Greeks." The Suleiman mosque was really the most striking evidence that the Sinan managed to surpass the architects who worked under Justinian.

The building of the mosque of Sultan Suleiman is based on four pillars. Located above the columns made of red granite, pointed arches, brought specially from the Baalbeck with the Hippodrome, bind adjacent domed premises with the main building. Above the mihrab are the half-dome (niche showing the direction to Mecca), which are in perfect harmony with the surrounding domed spaces. They thus give to all the surrounding building freedom and emancipation. The height of the mosque is 49, 5 m, and the diameter of the dome - 26, 2 m.

View of the mosque, stands proudly on the hills, especially nice from the Bosphorus and Galata bridge. Four minarets with ten balconies are a symbol of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, who was the tenth Sultan of the Ottoman Empire ("the tenth son of Osman"), and the fourth of them, who ascended the throne after the conquest. Architect Sinan built two minarets is a little shorter than the rest. It's an ingenious solution, which was designed to make built on a hill mosque, more harmonious.

The complex of the great mosque of Suleymaniye can be called a city within a city. In addition to the mosque, it includes the school of Quran, Turkish bath, caravanserai, shelter, several hospitals, toilets, and a shopping arcade artisans. Especially fascinating view of the old plane trees and a small fountain.

Floors of the mosque are covered with carpets, and inside it has good coverage — light it falls from one hundred and thirty-six expensive beautiful stained glass Windows, decorated with ancient writing-quotations from the Koran. Calligraphic inscription on the dome reads: "Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth. It is light — definitely a niche; in it a lamp; the lamp is in glass; the glass is exactly the pearly star. Lit it from the blessed tree — an olive tree, neither Eastern, nor Western. Oil its ready to ignite, at least it has not been touched by the fire. The light in the world! Allah guides to his light whom he wills! ".

Behind the mosque is a cemetery, the resting place of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and his wife Hürrem Sultan. Some Venetian wrote about Suleiman: "the Sultan was so in love and devoted to his wife that all submitted were sure that Hürrem Sultan bewitched him". Hürrem Sultan was a Slav. Among the Istanbul Europeans it was known under the name of "Roksolana", and remained inaccessible to Suleiman until then, until the Sultan had promised to marry her. A precedent of this kind have never had a place among the sultans of the Ottoman Empire.

Close to Suleymaniye mosque, at the junction, named after the architect, is the modest tomb of Sinan.