# Beylerbeyi Mosque

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Mosque in Beylerbeyi, Istanbul, Turkey

Beylerbeyi Mosque Beylerbeyi Cami Religion Affiliation Islam Location Location Beylerbeyi, Istanbul, Turkey Interactive map of Beylerbeyi Mosque Coordinates 41°02′42.3″N 29°02′44.8″E / 41.045083°N 29.045778°E / 41.045083; 29.045778 Architecture Type Mosque Style Ottoman Baroque Completed 1777–1778 (original), 1820–1821 (renovation) Specifications Dome dia. (inner) 14.5 m Minaret 2 Materials cut stone, marble

The **Beylerbeyi Mosque** ([Turkish](/source/Turkish_language): *Beylerbeyi Camii*), also known as the **Hamid i-Evvel Mosque** (Turkish: *Hamid-i Evvel Camii*),[1] is a mosque located in the [Beylerbeyi](/source/Beylerbeyi) neighbourhood in [Istanbul](/source/Istanbul), Turkey. It was first built in 1777–1778 by the Ottoman sultan [Abdul Hamid I](/source/Abdul_Hamid_I), but was later modified by [Mahmud II](/source/Mahmud_II) in 1820–1821.[2]

## Historical background

Abdulhamid I (r. 1774–1789) built the Beylerbeyi Mosque in 1777–1778. Soon afterwards he also built the [Emirgan Mosque](/source/Emirgan_Mosque) (1781–82), and both are located in suburbs of Istanbul on the shores of the [Bosphorus](/source/Bosporus).[2][3] During the reign of Abdulhamid I more foreign architects and artists arrived in Istanbul and the [Ottoman Baroque style](/source/Ottoman_Baroque_style) was being further consolidated.[4] The architect of the mosque may have been Mehmed Tahir, the chief imperial architect at this time,[5] but it has also been suggested that it could have been Edirneli Agop Ağa.[6] The mosque was also constructed around the same time that Abdülhamid renovated the Imperial Hall in [Topkapı Palace](/source/Topkap%C4%B1_Palace), and the decoration of this hall resembles the decoration of the mosque's interior.[7] The Beylerbeyi Mosque was dedicated to his mother, [Rabia Şermi Kadın](/source/Rabia_%C5%9Eermi_Kad%C4%B1n) (wife of [Ahmed III](/source/Ahmed_III)).[8] It was built on the site of a previous palace, the Istavroz Palace, which had been recently demolished.[9]

The Beylerbeyi Mosque was later renovated and modified by Mahmud II (r. 1808–1839) in 1820–1821.[3][2] According to [Doğan Kuban](/source/Do%C4%9Fan_Kuban), the mosque's present appearance today owes much to Mahmud II's renovation, and some elements of the complex were added in the [Empire style](/source/Empire_style) that was introduced during his reign. The first mosque had only one [minaret](/source/Minaret) and its dome was made of wood, whereas Mahmud II's modifications introduced two symmetrical minarets. The imperial apartment (or at least a part of it) existed in the original mosque design, but Kuban believes it may have been modified by Mahmud II as well.[10] Scholar Ünver Rüstem, in a recent study of Ottoman Baroque architecture, discusses this imperial pavilion as part of the original mosque.[11]

## Architecture

In [Ottoman architectural history](/source/Ottoman_architecture), the Beylerbeyi Mosque is notable for being oriented towards the water; while some Istanbul mosques had been built along the waterside before, the Beylerbeyi Mosque is the first one which was clearly designed to present its main façade towards the shoreline.[12][9] The mosque was intended to serve as the sultan's prayer space when he was residing in one of his palaces along the Bosphorus.[5] Like most imperial Ottoman mosques, it was accompanied by other facilities and annexes, including a [hammam](/source/Hammam) (bathhouse), [primary school](/source/Kuttab) and two fountains, which were built under Abdülhamid I. During Mahmud II's modifications, a clock room and another fountain were added.[10][9]

The prayer hall is a traditional single-domed space, but the mosque's most innovative and influential feature is the wide two-story pavilion structure that occupies its front façade, replacing the traditional courtyard or entrance portico. This was an evolution of the imperial pavilions which were attached to the side or back of earlier mosques, but now taking on a more residential function as a royal apartment and forming an integrated part of the mosque's appearance. This new configuration was repeated in the design of later imperial mosques.[11][13]

The mosque's main dome is 14.5 metres in diameter.[8] On the entrance side of the hall is a U-shaped gallery which was probably part of the mosque's original design.[8] On top of it is the sultan's loge (*[hünkâr mahfili](/source/H%C3%BCnk%C3%A2r_Mahfili)*), which has a Baroque style but also features a naturalistic landscape painting on its back wall which probably dates from the 19th century.[14] The entrance gallery is supported by marble columns with [Corinthian](/source/Corinthian_order)-like [capitals](/source/Capital_(architecture)) that imitate those seen in monuments from the reign of [Mahmud I](/source/Mahmud_I) (r. 1730–1754), at the beginning of the Baroque period.[7] The mosque's [mihrab](/source/Mihrab), made of marble, is situated in a rectangular space projecting from the back of the mosque, covered by a semi-dome and flanked by marble columns at its corners.[10][7] The interior decoration of the mosque today may not date from the original construction. It consists of painted decoration and a mix of local and imported foreign [tiles](/source/Tile), including reused [Iznik tiles](/source/Iznik_pottery) and [Kütahya](/source/K%C3%BCtahya) tiles from the 16th and 17th centuries.[10][7]

		- Front portico of the mosque, with the imperial pavilion above

		- Back side of the mosque

		- Interior of the mosque, looking towards the entrance

		- The main dome of the mosque

		- The [mihrab](/source/Mihrab) area of the mosque

		- The [sultan's loge](/source/H%C3%BCnk%C3%A2r_Mahfili)

		- Example of the style of capitals inside the mosque

## References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Beylerbeyi Mosque](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Beylerbeyi_Mosque).

### Citations

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Beylerbeyi/Hamid-i Evvel Camiisi (Beylerbeyi/Hamid-i Evvel Mosque)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220123132112/http://howtoistanbul.com/en/beylerbeyi-hamid-i-evvel-mosque/2470). *howtoistanbul.com*. Archived from [the original](http://howtoistanbul.com/en/beylerbeyi-hamid-i-evvel-mosque/2470) on 2022-01-23. Retrieved 2022-04-01.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERüstem2019234–235_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERüstem2019234–235_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERüstem2019234–235_2-2) [Rüstem 2019](#CITEREFRüstem2019), pp. 234–235.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKuban2010537,_544_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKuban2010537,_544_3-1) [Kuban 2010](#CITEREFKuban2010), pp. 537, 544.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGoodwin1971396_4-0)** [Goodwin 1971](#CITEREFGoodwin1971), p. 396.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGoodwin1971397_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGoodwin1971397_5-1) [Goodwin 1971](#CITEREFGoodwin1971), p. 397.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Hüttler, Michael; Weidinger, Hans Ernst (2013-06-15). [*Ottoman Empire and European Theatre Vol. I: The Age of Mozart and Selim III (1756-1808)*](https://books.google.com/books?id=bOp4DwAAQBAJ&dq=beylerbeyi+mosque+mehmed+tahir&pg=PT893) (in German). Hollitzer Wissenschaftsverlag. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-99012-067-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-99012-067-5).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERüstem2019238_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERüstem2019238_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERüstem2019238_7-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERüstem2019238_7-3) [Rüstem 2019](#CITEREFRüstem2019), p. 238.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKuban2010629_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKuban2010629_8-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKuban2010629_8-2) [Kuban 2010](#CITEREFKuban2010), p. 629.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERüstem2019236_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERüstem2019236_9-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERüstem2019236_9-2) [Rüstem 2019](#CITEREFRüstem2019), p. 236.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKuban2010629–631_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKuban2010629–631_10-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKuban2010629–631_10-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKuban2010629–631_10-3) [Kuban 2010](#CITEREFKuban2010), pp. 629–631.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERüstem2019236–237_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERüstem2019236–237_11-1) [Rüstem 2019](#CITEREFRüstem2019), pp. 236–237.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGoodwin1971397–398_12-0)** [Goodwin 1971](#CITEREFGoodwin1971), pp. 397–398.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGoodwin1971398–399_13-0)** [Goodwin 1971](#CITEREFGoodwin1971), pp. 398–399.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERüstem2019239–240_14-0)** [Rüstem 2019](#CITEREFRüstem2019), pp. 239–240.

### Bibliography

- Goodwin, Godfrey (1971). *A History of Ottoman Architecture*. Thames & Hudson. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-500-27429-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-500-27429-0).

- Kuban, Doğan (2010). *Ottoman Architecture*. Translated by Mill, Adair. Antique Collectors' Club. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781851496044](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781851496044).

- Rüstem, Ünver (2019). [*Ottoman Baroque: The Architectural Refashioning of Eighteenth-Century Istanbul*](https://books.google.com/books?id=O_p0DwAAQBAJ&pg=PR1). Princeton University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780691181875](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780691181875).

v t e Mosques in Turkey Ankara Ahmet Hamdi Akseki Aslanhane Hacı Bayram Kocatepe Maltepe Melike Hatun Antalya Korkut Murat Pasha Omer Pasha Tekeli Mehmet Pasha Yivli Minaret Bursa Bayezid I Emir Sultan Grand Green Hüdavendigar Muradiye Orhan Gazi Veled-i Yaniç Diyarbakır Behram Pasha Great Hazreti Süleyman Sheikh Matar Edirne Evliya Kasim Pasha Muradiye Old Selimiye Üç Şerefeli Istanbul Altunizade Arap Atik Mustafa Pasha Atik Valide Ayazma Bayezid II Bebek Beylerbeyi Blue (Sultan Ahmed) Böcekli Bodrum Burmalı Çamlıca Çinili Defterdar Dolmabahçe Emirgan Eski Imaret Eyüp Sultan Fatih Fenari Isa Firuz Agha Gazi Atik Ali Pasha Gül Hadim Ibrahim Pasha Hagia Sophia Handan Agha Haseki Sultan Hirami Ahmet Pasha Hırka-i Şerif İskender Pasha, Fatih İskender Pasha, Kanlıca Imrahor Kalenderhane Kara Ahmed Pasha Kariye Kasım Agha Kefeli Kılıç Ali Pasha Koca Mustafa Pasha Küçük Mecidiye Laleli Little Hagia Sophia Manastır Mesih Mehmed Pasha Mihrimah Sultan, Edirnekapı Mihrimah Sultan, Üsküdar Molla Çelebi Muhammad Maarifi Murat Pasha Nallı New Nışançı Mehmed Pasha Nuruosmaniye Nusretiye Ortaköy Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Piri Mehmed Pasha Piyale Pasha Rum Mehmed Pasha Rüstem Pasha Şakirin Sanki Yedim Sancaktar Hayrettin Sancaklar Şehzade Selimiye Şemsi Pasha Şeyh Süleyman Sinan Pasha Şişli Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, Azapkapı Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, Büyükçekmece Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, Kadırga Süleymaniye Taksim Teşvikiye Vasat Atik Ali Pasha Vefa Yavuz Selim Yeni Valide Yıldız Hamidiye Zal Mahmud Pasha Zeynep Sultan Zeyrek İzmir Başdurak Birgi Grand Hisar İsa Bey Kestanepazarı Salepçioğlu Yalı İznik Green Haji Özbek Konya Akşehir Grand Alâeddin Aziziye Eşrefoğlu Ferruhşah Hacıveyiszade Kileci Selimiye Taşmedrese Mersin Bilal-i Habeşi Güzeloluk Laal Pasha Mersin Grand Mersin Old Müftü Muğdat Tarsus Grand Tarsus Old Trabzon Fatih İskender Pasha Nakip New Friday Elsewhere Abdülhamid Han Adana Great Ala, Kadirli Alaeddin, Eskişehir Alaaddin, Sinop Avcılar Great Central Aziziye, Konya Behramşah Boyacı Çapanoğlu Divriği Great Göğceli Habib'i Neccar Hafsa Sultan İlyas Bey İzzet Mehmet Pasha İzzet Pasha Kahramanmaraş Grand Kazdağlı Kazim Bulut Kurşunlu Kuyularonu Liberation Mahmut Bey Menüçehr Nasrullah Niğde Alaaddin Oil Pertev Pasha Reşadiye Şaban Ağa Sabancı Merkez Şirvani Sivas Grand Sivrihisar Grand Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Uşak Grand Zagan Pasha Zeynel Abidin Category List Islam in Turkey Ottoman architecture Mosques by country

v t e Ottoman architecture Historical stages Early Ottoman architecture Classical Ottoman architecture Tulip Period architecture Ottoman Baroque architecture Ottoman architecture in the 19th–20th centuries First national architectural movement (See also: Ottoman decoration) Other regional styles Algeria Bosnia and Herzegovina Cyprus Egypt Palestine Serbia Tunisia Mosques Istanbul Altunizade Mosque Atik Valide Mosque Ayazma Mosque Bayezid II Mosque Beylerbeyi Mosque Büyükdere Kara Mehmet Kethüda Mosque Çinili Mosque Dolmabahçe Mosque Eyüp Sultan Mosque Fatih Mosque Gazi Atik Ali Pasha Mosque Haseki Sultan Mosque Hırka-i Şerif Mosque Laleli Mosque Mahmut Pasha Mosque Mesih Mehmed Pasha Mosque Mihrimah Sultan Mosque (Edirnekapı) Mihrimah Sultan Mosque (Üsküdar) Muradiye Complex Murat Pasha Mosque Nışançı Mehmed Pasha Mosque Nuruosmaniye Mosque Ortaköy Mosque Piyale Pasha Mosque Şehzade Mosque Selimiye Mosque Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque (Azapkapı) Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque (Büyükçekmece) Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque (Kadırga) Sultanahmet Mosque Süleymaniye Mosque Vasat Atik Ali Pasha Mosque Yavuz Selim Mosque Yeni Valide Mosque (Eminönü) Yeni Valide Mosque (Üsküdar) Yıldız Hamidiye Mosque Other cities Ali Pasha Mosque Bajrakli Mosque Bayezid I Mosque Behram Pasha Mosque Bursa Grand Mosque Çapanoğlu Mosque Dzhumaya Mosque Emir Sultan Mosque Esmahan Sultan Mosque Evliya Kasim Pasha Mosque Ferhadija Mosque Ferhat Pasha Mosque (Banja Luka) Ferhat Pasha Mosque (Sarajevo) Fethiye Mosque (Athens) Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque Green Mosque of Bursa (Yeşil Mosque) Green Mosque of İznik Hadum Mosque Haji Özbek Mosque Hüdavendigar Mosque Ibrahim Pasha Mosque İzzet Mehmet Pasha Mosque Juma-Jami Mosque Karađoz Bey Mosque Kasım Pasha Mosque Muradiye Complex (Bursa) Muradiye Mosque (Edirne) Murat Pasha Mosque Old Mosque of Edirne Orhan Gazi Mosque Osman Shah Mosque Selimiye Mosque Sinan Pasha Mosque (Prizren) Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque (Lüleburgaz) Sulayman Pasha Mosque Suleymaniye Mosque Tombul Mosque Tzistarakis Mosque Üç Şerefeli Mosque Veled-i Yaniç Mosque Yakovalı Hasan Paşa Mosque Madrasas Büyük Aga Medrese Caferağa Medrese Medrese of Mehmet Şakir Paşa Rüstem Pasha Medrese Türbes (tombs) Green Tomb (Yeşil Türbe) Tomb of Abdul Hamid I Tomb of Hayreddin Barbarossa Tomb of Turhan Sultan Caravanserais Büyük Han Büyük Valide Han Büyük Yeni Han Hafsa Sultan Caravanserai Kapan Han Khan al-Umdan Khan As'ad Pasha Koza Han Kürkçü Han Öküz Mehmed Pasha Caravanserai Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai (Edirne) Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai (Ereğli) Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai (Erzurum) Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Caravanserai Hospitals Complex of Sultan Bayezid II Bridges Arslanagić Bridge Mostar Bridge Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge Uzunköprü Bridge Fortifications Ajyad Fortress Anadoluhisarı Depedogen Castle of Kars Kilitbahir Castle Rumelihisarı Yedikule Fortress Kalemegdan Yeni-Kale Palaces Azm Palace Beylerbeyi Palace Çırağan Palace Dolmabahçe Palace Eski Saray Grand Serail Hatice Sultan Palace Ishak Pasha Palace Topkapi Palace Yıldız Palace Clock towers Büyük Saat Dolmabahçe Clock Tower Etfal Hospital Clock Tower İzmir Clock Tower İzmit Clock Tower Jaffa Clock Tower Nusretiye Clock Tower Yıldız Clock Tower Fountains Fountain of Ahmed III Fountain of Ahmed III (Üsküdar) Tophane Fountain Sultan Mahmut Fountain Hammams Bayezid II Hamam Bey Hamam Büyük Hamam Cağaloğlu Hamam Čifte Hammam Davud Pasha Hamam Çemberlitaş Hamam Hürrem Sultan Hamam Király Baths Mahmut Pasha Hamam Ömeriye Baths Süleymaniye Hamam Tahtakale Hamam Rudas Baths other monuments Köprülü Library Mihrişah Sultan Complex Nilüfer Hatun Imareti Imaret (Kavala)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Beylerbeyi Mosque](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beylerbeyi_Mosque) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beylerbeyi_Mosque?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.