Fatih Camii Off

Lonely Planet review

The Fatih was the first great imperial mosque built in İstanbul following the Conquest. For its location Mehmet the Conqueror chose the hilltop site of the ruined Church of the Apostles, burial place of Constantine and other Byzantine emperors. The mosque complex, finished in 1470, was enormous; set in extensive grounds, it included in its külliye 15 charitable establishments such as religious schools, a hospice for travellers and a caravanserai.

Unfortunately, the mosque you see today is not the one Mehmet built. The original stood for nearly 300 years before toppling in an earthquake in 1766. Though rebuilt, it was destroyed by fire in 1782. The present mosque dates from the reign of Abdül Hamit I and is on a completely different plan. Though traces of Mehmet's mosque remain - the courtyard and its main entrance portal - the interior of the Fatih, with its ugly drinking fountain, is relatively unimpressive. Directly behind the mosque are the tombs of Mehmet the Conqueror and his wife Gülbahar. Confusingly, Mehmet isn't buried here, but rather under the mimber in the mosque. Muslims consider Mehmet's tomb a very holy site. It's inevitably filled with worshippers.

The grassed outer courtyard of the mosque is a favourite place for locals to congregate and for families to picnic, especially on Sunday. On Wednesday both the courtyard and the surrounding streets host the Fatih Pazarı, a weekly market selling fresh produce and clothing.