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Left The Ottoman Empire was formed Right The impressive 15th-century
by Turkish tribes from Anatolia.The Uc Serefeli Mosque (1438–47) was
expanding state included Bursa to the first in Edirne to have a large
the east and Edirne to the west. courtyard adjoining the prayer hall.
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THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE C O N S TA N T I N O P L E ( I S TA N B U L )
(1489–1588), the principal architect and opposite the qibla side create a
C ONSTANTINOPLE of the Ottoman Empire, for Sultan
Suleyman ‘the Magnificent’ (reigned
strong central focus complementing
the single large dome. The pillars
(I STANBUL ) 1520–66).The Suleymaniye Mosque,
the high point of classical Istanbul
carrying the main arches are pushed
toward the outside walls to allow
THE OTTOMANS GAINED A NEW PRESTIGIOUS CAPITAL WHEN THEY architecture, bears a striking resem- the play of curved surfaces on the
TOOK CONSTANTINOPLE IN 1453. THE CITY ALSO PROVIDED THEIR blance to the Byzantine cathedral in top half of the building’s interior to
BUILDERS WITH THE PROTOTYPE FOR THEIR GREAT MOSQUES. both proportions and ground plan, counterbalance the strong vertical
although the lofty arches opening to lines of the supports. By this stage,
stanbul, the Turkish version of the and Didymoteicho, it has a large the right and left toward the side walls are simple screens bridging
I Greek words eis ten polin, or ‘to
the City’, became the official name
central domed roof and some lateral
bays, but it also presents the first
bays represent a step forward by
alleviating the restricting effect of
the gaps between load-bearing
elements and they are profusely
of the city on the Bosphorus only occurrence of a feature that later the church’s side walls. pierced with stained-glass windows
as late as 1930. Until that date, it would develop into the main in symmetrical arrangements.
was still called Constantinople, characteristic of classical Ottoman BEYOND THE PROTOTYPE Buildings other than mosques,
‘the city of Constantine’, a name mosques: a large semidome that While little innovation can be seen erected around the Ottoman
reflecting its Roman and Byzantine supports the main dome on the in the floor plans of sultanic Empire in great numbers, were built
imperial past. The grandeur of this qibla side (toward the direction of mosques because they adhere within the traditions of earlier
capital of three successive empires prayer) over a long and narrow bay, A b o vTe he inter ior decoration of the to a venerated prototype, the Islamic architecture. Surrounding Above A drawing of the Suleymaniye
inspired several sieges by Muslim unlike the square side bays to the reconstructed Fatih Mosque follows architectural designs of smaller mosques and supporting them Mosque shows the domed roof based on
rulers, but the prize of conquest left and right. Significantly, this bay the Baroque style of 18th-century buildings are often more original. financially were complexes of shops the Hagia Sophia plan.The grand scale of
was reserved for Sultan Mehmet II is separated from the domed central O t t o m a n a r c h i t e c t u r e. The graceful Sehzade Mosque, and hammams (bathhouses), creating the complex symbolizes the sultan’s power.
(reigned 1444–46, 1451–81), who bay by an arch supported by pillars built by Sinan in 1543 to income to cover the running costs
consequently assumed the epithet that recede to the sides, creating the a building laden with imperial commemorate the son of Suleyman of mosques and charitable institu- Below The Hagia Sophia’s domed
of Fatih,‘the Conqueror.’ illusion of a unified roof consisting connotations. Built between 532 I, was a symmetrical departure from tions complementing their social structure inspired Ottoman architects.The
of the central dome and the and 537, it was an inventive and the Hagia Sophia plan. Two lateral role, such as imarets (public kitchens) giant Arabic calligraphy panels were added
THE FATIH MOSQUE semidome. short-lived answer to the problem semidomes balancing the ones on and madrasas (religious colleges). to the interior in the 16th century.
The first mosque to be built in the of a large floor area sheltered by a
soon-to-be-regenerated capital still THE HAGIA SOPHIA PLAN domed roof. The ‘Hagia Sophia
bears the same name, Fatih Mosque This effect was undoubtedly plan’ was popular with Ottoman
(1462–70), and despite collapsing inspired by the patriarchal church builders and characterized 16th-
and being reconstructed in 1771, it of Byzantine Constantinople century mosque architecture.
retains its original plan. Like the and eventually mosque of the The original ‘Hagia Sophia plan,’
pre-1453 mosques of Bursa, Edirne Ottomans, Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya), as in the 6th-century cathedral, was
finished with a second semidome
opposite, creating an elongated
oval shell. The complete version
first appeared in the Sultan Bayezid
Mosque in Istanbul, built for
Bayezid II (reigned 1481–1512)
around the turn of the century, in
which the central core (semidome-
dome-semidome) was flanked to
the right and left by eight domes
arranged over eight bays.
The most faithful Ottoman
version of the plan was erected
between 1550 and 1557 by Sinan
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THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE THE CLASSICAL ERA
BUILDING DONORS
The relation between the donors
who funded the building of both
of these mosques and the
sultan emphasizes the social and
political dimension of such religous
foundations. The ruler’s family and
high officials of the empire erected
extravagant public structures as
status symbols advertising their Above The impressive dome of the
donors’ munificence and power to Selimiye Mosque stands 42m (138ft)
the capital’s citizens. Women of the tall.The slender towering minarets reach
imperial family were also great a tapered point at about 71m (233ft).
Left Calligraphy and floral patterns are Left Pillars arranged in an octagon
among the design elements in the blue, shape support the massive dome of the
green, red and white tiles that adorn the Selimiye Mosque, creating a huge area
Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque. illuminated by natural daylight.
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T O P K A P I P A L AC E
THE LEGENDARY TOPKAPI PALACE PRESERVES MOST OF ITS ORIGINAL
PLANS, ALONG WITH EXQUISITE ARTEFACTS. ITS HISTORY EPITOMIZES
THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE, AN AMALGAM OF GRANDEUR AND TERROR.
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