Mihrimah Mosque (Asian side)

The Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, in the Asian side of Istanbul, is the most dominant mosque in the Üsküdar region. It was the first of two mosques commissioned by Princess Mihrimah, the favourite daughter of Sulayman the Magnificent. The architect was the famous Sinan.

• The mosque sits on a high platform opposite the ferry terminal, fronted by an immense covered porch. It was built in the 1540s.
• This is the only Ottoman mosque with three semi-domes (rather than two or four), a result of the requirements of its problematic site against the hillside behind.

• It also has an unusual double portico, the first built by Sinan in the city. The ablution fountain by the entrance has a unique birdcage design.

• The mosque is usually open, and the inside is well worth a peek for its particularly light and airy interior, a result of the copious use of arch-shaped stained-glass windows by the architect, particularly apt as Mihrimah means ‘Sun and Moon’ in Persian.

References: The rough guide to Istanbul, Wikipedia