RUSTEM
PASHA MOSQUE
Rustem Pasa Mosque is one of the most beautiful of the smaller mosques of Sinan was built in 1561 by Rustem Pasa, twice Grand Vezir under Suleyman the Magnificent and husband of the Sultan’s favorite daughter, the Princess Mihrimah.
Rustem Pasa Cami is especially famous for its very fine tiles, which almost cover the walls, not only on the interior but also on the façade of the porch. One should also climb to the galleries where the tiles are of a different
pattern. Like all the great Turkish tiles, those of Rustem Pasa came from the kilns of Iznik in its greatest period (c.1555 – 1620) and they show the tomato-red or ‘Armenian bole’, which is characteristic of that period. These exquisite tiles, in every conceivable floral and geometric design, cover not only the walls, but also the columns, mihrab, and member. Altogether they make one of the most beautiful and striking mosque interiors in the city. |
