This mosque was ordered to be build in 1522 by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (hence the name) on his way to east and took 37 years to build. Its architect was the Sadik Kalfa, one of Sinan’s students. It is a ‘circle-in-square’ type of a mosque—meaning, in square plane with a large circular dome above it, and on fours sides adorned with four half domes. In addition, the narthex section is covered with three smaller domes. Its walls and foundation are of cut-stone. Over the years had seen many restorations. And, during some of these restorations many of the adoration figures such as the snake, dragon and stars from Seljuki times have disappeared. They now only exist in documentations.

The Ulu Camii or with its benefactor’s name the Sultan Süleyman Camii is a stately mosque with many unique features such as the usage of columns (other than the supporting pillars) whether it be as an architectural element (photos 296 & 297) or as painted on the walls to compliment their existence (photo 295, on both sides of the window above near the ceiling). In addition at either side of the entrance door from the narthex has clearly half columns as adoration, photo 307. And at this door we see the absence of muqarnass (rows of stalactites) above the door, again see the photo 307. However, the intricate stalactites like muqarnass are present instead where the Turkish triangles are normally utilized. You can clearly see this in the photo numbered 295. Also notice the difference between the plain mihrap to show the direction of Mecca in the narthex in photo 291 and the very detailed one immediately follows, the main mihrap in the central hall. This is one of the best preserved mosques in Anatolia outside of Istanbul from the 16th century; and for an architectural historian of this era it is truly worth seeing……