Lonely Planet İstanbul Guide

Rome. Commissioned by Mahmut II, the stone tower was designed by Senekerim Balyan and built in 1828 in the same location as a previous wooden tower. The tower was used by the İstanbul Fire Department to spot fires until 1993. The coloured lights on it indicate weather conditions – blue for clear and

sunny, green for rain, yellow for fog and red for snow. Both the university and tower are off limits to travellers.

BEYAZIT STATE LIBRARY ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Beyazıt Devlet Kütüphanesi; % 0212-522 3167; www.beyazitkutup.gov.tr; Turan Emeksiz Sokak 6, Beyazıt; h 8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri; j Beyazıt-Kapalı Çarşı) Occupying the former imaret (soup kitchen) and kervansaray (caravanserai) of the Beyazıt Mosque’s külliye , this library has recently been the subject of a splendid ‘minimal intervention’ restoration and extension by local architectural firm Tabanlıoğlu Partnership. The multidomed building dates from 1884 and houses a notable rare-book collection. BEYAZIT MOSQUE ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Beyazıt Camii, Mosque of Sultan Beyazıt II; Beyazıt Meydanı, Beyazıt; j Beyazıt Kapalı Çarşı) The second imperial mosque built in İstanbul (after the Fatih Camii), Beyazıt Camii was built between 1501 and 1506 by order of Beyazıt II, son of Mehmet the Conqueror. Architecturally, it links Aya Sofya, which obviously inspired its design, with great mosques such as the Süleymaniye, which are realisations of Aya Sofya’s design fully adapted to Muslim worship. It was undergoing a major and long-overdue restoration at the time of research. The mosque’s exceptional use of fine stone is noteworthy, with marble, porphyry, verd antique and rare granite featuring. The mihrab is simple, except for the rich stone columns framing it. The enclosed courtyard features 24 small domes and a central ablutions fountain. Beyazıt’s türbe (tomb) is behind the mosque. LALELI MOSQUE ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Divan Yolu & Fethi Bey Caddesis, Laleli; j Laleli-Üniversite, Aksaray)

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MOSQUE

MOSQUE