Where to pray in Istanbul while sightseeing: women’s prayer rooms and mosques

Where do women pray in a mosque?

Mosques in Türkiye have a section for women. In the large imperial mosques it is usually at the back near the entrance or in an upper gallery, sometimes screened off with wooden panels. In big mosques such as the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia the women’s section is spacious and is used for Friday prayers too.

• Finding it: ask the attendant at the door for the women’s section (“kadınlar bölümü”); it may have a different door from the tourist entrance.
• Neighbourhood mosques: in small mosques the women’s section can be a narrow upper floor or the back rows, and some keep it closed outside prayer times.
• Clothing: a headscarf, clothes covering arms and legs, and socks are enough. Tourist entrances lend scarves, but your own is more comfortable for prayer.
• Children: young children can stay with their mother in the women’s section. For tips, see our guide to visiting a mosque with kids.

Which mosques are practical while sightseeing in Sultanahmet?

There is hardly a spot in the historic peninsula more than a few minutes from a mosque. When touring as a family, these rules help:

• Large mosques: they have the best-organised women’s sections, wudu areas and toilets. Walk towards a big mosque as the prayer time approaches.
• Quiet alternatives: Little Hagia Sophia and the neighbourhood mosques on the seaward side of Sultanahmet are calm choices away from the crowds.
• Bazaar area: there are large mosques around the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar, so you can pray there while shopping.
• Museums: museums do not always have a prayer room inside. Fit museum visits between two prayers.

Prayer times and the hours when mosques close to tourists are in our prayer-time sightseeing plan.

Where can women make wudu?

The fountains in mosque courtyards are usually used by men. Women’s wudu areas are often at a separate entrance next to the toilets, and some mosques charge a small fee.

• If you can, make wudu at the hotel before going out; keeping it during the day saves a search.
• Carry a small towel, spare socks and some coins or an Istanbulkart.
• Prayer rooms in shopping malls usually have a women’s wudu area next to them, and they are very clean.

Do shopping malls have prayer rooms?

Most large shopping malls in Istanbul have separate prayer rooms for women and men. They are usually on a car-park level or near the toilets and are signposted “Mescit”. Asking at the information desk is the quickest way.

For a rainy day that combines a mall with a museum, see our rainy-day plan.

Where can I pray at Istanbul’s airports?

• Istanbul Airport (IST): there are 25 prayer rooms for women and men across the terminal, plus worship rooms for other faiths. Ihram changing rooms for Umrah and Hajj travellers are on both the arrivals and departures floors. There are prayer rooms after passport control too, so you can pray near your gate; follow the “Mescit / Prayer Room” signs.
• Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW): the terminal has 6 prayer rooms, three for men and three for women, and a room for other faiths. There is also a mosque outside the terminal.
• On travel day: if your flight time falls on a prayer, plan to pray at the airport and allow for security and passport queues. For rulings on prayer while travelling, refer to Diyanet’s official sources.

For getting from the airport to your hotel, see our guide to Istanbul airport to Sultanahmet.

What should I pack for praying on the go?

• A headscarf and a long wide shawl or a light long coat.
• A folding travel prayer mat (useful in parks or when a prayer room is full).
• A prayer-time app set to the Diyanet method and a qibla compass on your phone.
• Spare socks, a small towel and wet wipes.
• A quiet toy or book for the children.

For qibla and prayer mats at the hotel, read our guide to praying in your hotel room.