Sultan Selim Mosque

By all accounts the sultan to whom this mosque was dedicated (Süleyman the Magnificent’s father, Selim I, known as ‘the Grim’) was a nasty piece of work. He is famous for having his father poisoned and for killing two of his brothers, six of his nephews and three of his own sons. Odd, then, that his mosque is one of the most loved in the city. The reason becomes clear when a visit reveals the mosque’s position on a lawned terrace with spectacular views of the Golden Horn – picnic spots don’t come much better than this. The building itself, constructed in 1522, was undergoing a major renovation when this book was going to print. Inside, its tilework and painted woodwork provide the most distinctive features.