Mihrimah Sultan Mosque in Edirnekapı: Sinan’s mosque full of light
- Mosques
- Edirnekapı, Fatih
- Free
Family hotels closest to Mihrimah Sultan Mosque
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Seven Roses Apart Hotel
Mihrimah Sultan Mosque: 76 min walk (5.3 km) Walking route
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Green Life Apart Hotel
Mihrimah Sultan Mosque: 76 min walk (5.3 km) Walking route
Visitor information
| Type | Mosque of a sultan’s daughter |
|---|---|
| Built | 1560s |
| Commissioned by / architect | For Mihrimah Sultan, daughter of Suleiman the Magnificent; Mimar Sinan |
| Neighbourhood | Edirnekapı, Fatih |
| Opening hours | Daily from morning until the night (isha) prayer; visitors are not admitted during prayer times |
| Admission | Free (there is a donation box) |
| Time needed | 20–30 min |
| Getting there | T4 Edirnekapı stop, 5 min; 15–20 min by taxi from Sultanahmet |
| From Sultanahmet Square | 5.6 km; a long walk, public transport recommended |
| Pushchair / stroller | Partly suitable. The mosque is on a high platform reached by stairs |
| Best time | On a sunny afternoon, for the light pouring through the windows |
Opening hours and prices can change; check the official website before you go. Map links open in Google Maps.
Windows instead of walls
In this mosque Sinan set the dome on four great arches and filled the arches with windows, so that the interior is flooded with light all day. Because the building stands on the highest point of the city, it can be seen from many places on the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara. The minaret and dome, damaged in the 1999 earthquake, were repaired in the following years.
The legend of the two Mihrimah mosques
Sinan’s second great mosque for Mihrimah Sultan is in Üsküdar. Because the name Mihrimah means “sun and moon”, people say that on certain days the sun sets behind the minaret of one mosque while the moon rises behind the other. There is no historical record of this legend, but it is part of the mosque’s romantic story.
Visiting tips
- See the Edirnekapı section of the land walls, the Kariye Mosque and the Palace of the Porphyrogenitus in the same half-day; they are 5–10 minutes’ walk apart.
- From Sultanahmet you can take the T1 to Topkapı and change there to the T4 for Edirnekapı.
Our family hotels near Mihrimah Sultan Mosque
Walking times are approximate and measured from the hotel door; where the hotel gives its own time, we show that.
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Seven Roses Apart Hotel
Mihrimah Sultan Mosque: 76 min walk (5.3 km) Walking route
Apartments with kitchens in Küçük Ayasofya, with roomy options for larger families
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Sareban Hotel
Mihrimah Sultan Mosque: 76 min walk (5.3 km) Walking route
An alcohol-free family hotel in Küçük Ayasofya, looking out to the Marmara
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Green Life Apart Hotel
Mihrimah Sultan Mosque: 76 min walk (5.3 km) Walking route
Family-run apartments with kitchenettes and a sea-view roof terrace in Küçük Ayasofya
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Emirhan Inn Hotel
Mihrimah Sultan Mosque: 76 min walk (5.4 km) Walking route
A budget-friendly hotel with free breakfast in Küçük Ayasofya
Frequently asked questions
Who was Mihrimah Sultan?
Mihrimah Sultan was the daughter of Suleiman the Magnificent and Hürrem Sultan and the wife of Grand Vizier Rüstem Pasha. Istanbul has two mosques built in her name by Mimar Sinan: in Edirnekapı and in Üsküdar.
