Fatih Külliyesi

Fatih Külliyesi

The Mosque built when the külliye was first built has not survived into the present. The fatih Mosque, which is inside the külliye today was built in the late 18th century. This new Fatih Mosque whose reconstruction was ordered by Sultan Mustafa III in 1767 was built by Mimar Mehmed Tahir in a different form. The Fatih Mosque was built with classical mosque architecture but the decoration displays influences from the baroque style. Its big dome, whose diameters is 26 meters, is situated on three large marle pillar and supported by four semi domes. It has two minarets with two minarets signs each. The pen decorations inside the mosque also display influences of the baroque style. Another important element of the külliye is the madrasahs. The madrasahs on both sides of the mosque also formed a foundation for Istanbul University. Some of the madrasahs that went through various restorations over the time were totally destroyed during road construction. Only eight of these madrasahs has survived up to now. In the direction of Macca from the mosque is a library built in 1724. However, the books belonging to this library are preserved in the Library of Süleymaniye and the building is presently under restoration.

Also in the direction of Mecca from the mosque are three tombs belonging to Fatih Sultan Mehmed, his wife Gülbahar Hatun, and Nakşidil Sultan, the mother of Sultan Mahmud II. There are also many graves belonging to various state officers in the burial grounds of the külliye. The tabhane ( lodging rooms for traveller) the bazaar and the Turkish Bathhouse were torn down years ago.