Our Guide to Recommended Mosques in Istanbul

One of the great things about Istanbul is its centuries old Ottoman architecture. And you can find some of the best examples of Ottoman architecture by visiting some of the amazing mosques. But with over 3,000 mosques to choose from, it can get a bit overwhelming. 

To make it a little easier to decide which ones to go to, we’ve listed 7 of the more popular mosques and grouped them by neighborhood. You can easily visit the Beyoglu and Tophane neighborhoods in a day. You can also group the mosques in Eminönü and SultanAhmet Park into a day, but I would suggest spreading those out over two days and visiting other attractions, as well. Otherwise, you might get a little mosqued out! 

We’ve included other attractions in and around each neighborhood, as well, to give you a better idea of how to plan your trip.   

Aside from admiring the architecture and taking in some of the culture, the great thing about visiting mosques is they’re free and open all day (Though some may close briefly during prayer times. More on that below). 

So without further ado, let’s dive in. Here are 7 mosques to check out in Istanbul! 

Beyoglu

Taksim Mosque 

Taksim Mosque is one of the newer mosques in Istanbul opened in 2021. It has a capacity of 3,000-4,000, combines traditional and modern design elements, and is decorated in shades of brown and beige. Stopping here and at one of the older mosques is a great way to get the contrast between the old and new style.  

Other Things to See

As its name indicates, Taksim Mosque is located in Taksim Square, a popular spot for events, demonstrations, and parades, as well as shops, restaurants, and nightlife.  

You’ll also see a statue in the center of the square, the Republic Statue, depicting the founding fathers of Turkey. 

The square also connects to the famous Istiklal Caddesi, or ‘Independence Street’, a pedestrian street loaded with shops, restaurants, cafes, and galleries. We actually spent quite a bit of time on this street since we were staying in the Beyoglu neighborhood. We frequented a gym there, ate at a couple of the cafes, grabbed coffee, and did a bit of shopping.   

Tophane

Tophane Square contains two mosques, Nusretiye Mosque and Kilic Ali Pasa Mosque, as well as a couple other structures from the 16th to 19th century. 

Nusretiye Mosque 

Nusretiye, meaning victory, was built in the 1820s by Sultan Mahmut II to commemorate a victory. It has been described as a combination of architectural styles, including Ottoman, baroque, empire, and neoclassical. 

Kilic Ali Pasa Mosque

Kilic Ali Pasa Mosque was built during the 1500s for Kapudan-i Derya (Grand Admiral) Kılıç Ali Pasha of the navy. The complex also includes a madrasa (educational institution), a hamam, the türbe (tomb) of Kilic Ali Pasha, and a marble fountain. 

In Tophane Square, you can also stop by Tophane Fountain and Tophane Clock Tower. The Tophane Fountain was completed in 1732 to supply water to travelers coming in from the port and for people to cleanse themselves before entering the mosque for prayer. The fountain is decorated with pointed arches, floral motifs, and Turkish poems.   

The Tophane Clock Tower was commissioned by Sultan Abdulmejid during the 19th century and bears his tughra (a sultan’s seal/signature) over the door facing the water. The tower was built in a neoclassical style and has three stories. It was originally located on the seafront, but began tilting due to the shifting ground beneath and was later moved further inland.

Other Things to See 

Tophane-İ Amire Culture and Art Center – part of Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts. It has three exhibition halls with local and international collections. 

Kilic Ali Pasa Hamam – a renovated 16th century Turkish bathhouse that’s part of the Kilic Ali Pasa Mosque complex. It has an authentic brick interior, with domed ceilings, and arched windows. You’ll be scrubbed and suddsed on marble slabs and then relax in a lounge area with some tea.  

Galataport – a new waterfront district filled with high end shops and restaurants. You can dine or sip on coffee or a cocktail while you watch arriving and departing ships. 

Eminönü

Suleymaniye Mosque

The Suleymaniye Mosque is the second largest mosque in Istanbul. It was built by Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent during the 16th century. One thing that makes the Suleymaniye Mosque unique compared to others is that it has also served as a hospital, library, madrasa (Islamic college), hamam, kitchen, and hospice for the poor.

Before entering the mosque, you’ll enter a grand courtyard surrounded by marble columns and a fountain at the center. 

You can also visit the mausoleums of Sultan Suleyman and his wife, as well as other tombs. 

Besides visiting the mosque, it’s location on one of Istanbul’s seven hills provides one of the best views of the city.  

Rustem Pasha Mosque

The Rustem Pasha Mosque was built during the 1500s for Rustem Pasha, the Grand Vizier to Süleyman the Magnificent. It’s located on Hasırcılar Caddesi and is a bit hard to find if you’re not looking for it, because there’s not much to see on the outside.

But the inside is what makes it worth visiting. It has some of the best Iznik tiles in Istanbul. The great thing about Rustem Pasha is that you get to admire amazing blue tile work, similar to the Blue Mosque, but without all the tourists. 

Other Things to See 

The Grand Bazaar – a huge covered marketplace dating back to the 15th century. It’s made up of 60 streets with arched passages, painted ceilings, and thousands of shops where you can buy jewelry, rugs, lamps, tea, handbags, and Turkish desserts.  

Spice Bazaar – a spice market dating back to the 1600s. There are also some souvenir stands, but most of it is geared toward consumables. Along with spices, you can find soap, nuts, dried fruits, baklava, Turkish delights, coffee, and tea. 

Sultan Ahmet Park

If you’re only in Istanbul for a short time and can only visit a couple of mosques, then this is where you should go. Sultan Ahmet Park has two of the most popular mosques in Istanbul and is also very close to other popular attractions. 

Hagia Sophia 

Hagia Sophia is one of the oldest mosques in Istanbul, dating back to the 6th century. It was originally a church and transitioned to a mosque in the 1400s. Then, it was turned into a museum in the 1930s, until it recently transitioned back to a mosque. 

The magnificent building has a height of 55 meters, with 32 meter wide dome, marble columns, and gold mosaics. 

Hagia Sophia is one of the most popular mosques to visit in the city and the line to enter can get pretty long. It’s open all day though. So to avoid waiting, we recommend just taking a picture of the outside during the day and then returning later in the evening to visit the inside. 

For more on Hagia Sophia, visit the Hagia Sophia website.  

The Blue Mosque 

The Blue Mosque, formally known as Sultan Ahmet Mosque, is one of the most popular mosques to visit in Istanbul. It was built in the early 1600s by Sultan Ahmet I and is one of only three mosques in Turkey with six minarets, compared to the usual two or four, which apparently caused quite a stir since only the mosque in Mecca had six minarets at the time. Sultan Ahmet had to pay for a seventh minaret to be added to the mosque in Mecca to make things right.   

Scandal aside, the mosque is considered the last great mosque of the classical period. Aside from its six minarets, it also has five main domes, eight secondary domes, and more than 200 stained glass windows. And as you can probably guess, it’s famous for its blue tile interior. In fact, the mosque is decorated with 20,000 hand painted white, green, and blue Iznik tiles with red tulip designs.  

The complex also contains Ahmet’s tomb, madrasah (Islamic college), and a hospice. 

* Closes for 90 minutes during the five calls to prayer and for 2 hours during noon prayers on Friday.

For more information, visit The Blue Mosque website.

Other Things to See

Basilica Cistern – a giant underground water reservoir filled with over 300 marble columns. The reservior was built for the Byzantine Emperor Justinianus I during the 6th century to supply water to the palace. Today, the cistern has been transformed into a museum with various sculptures and art pieces interspersed between the columns.  

Topkapi Palace Museum – an Ottoman palace built during the 1400s by Sultan Mehmed II, which housed the sultans and their families for 400 years until the mid 1800s. You can explore the palace courtyards, gardens, Hagia Irene, administrative offices, the harem (main living quarters), and various exhibits. 

Mosque Attire/Etiquette 

• Some mosques close to tourists during prayer times. So avoid visiting during these times. Prayer happens five times a day with the first call to prayer at sunrise and the last one at nightfall. Prayer times change with the rotation of the sun. You can look up prayer times by Googling ‘Islamic prayer times Istanbul.’ Or, don’t visit within a half hour of hearing the ezan (call to prayer). 
• Remove your shoes before entering. Some mosques have you leave your shoes on the floor outside the entrance. Others have cubbies or bags you can put them in. 
• Men should wear pants, t-shirts or long sleeve shirts (no tank tops), and remove hats. 
• Women must wear pants or a long skirt and cover their head and shoulders. Head coverings were provided at all the mosques we visited. Some provided them for free. Others charged a small fee. If you plan to visit several mosques, it might be worth purchasing your own scarf from a local shop, rather than purchasing multiple disposable ones. And it makes a nice souvenir! 
• Mosques are a place of worship. So please be quiet and respectful. 
• Do not use flash photography, as this can be distracting and noisy for other guests. 
• Do not take pictures of other people visiting or praying in the mosque.