At rest by the waters of the Bosphorus in a beautiful mosque

BY THE LATE SIXTEENTH century, Istanbul had become an extremely important crossroads between Asia and Europe. It was the capital of the Ottoman Empire, which by then extended over large parts of Europe, the Middle East, Egypt, and the north coast of Africa.

Part of the military force that the Sultan of the Ottomans used to maintain the empire was a group of soldiers called janissaries. These were (usually) Christian men who had been captured by the Turks, converted to Islam, and trained in military skills. They were often most effective soldiers.

Today (16th of April 2024), we visited an elegant complex of Islamic buildings close to the waterfront at Üsküdar on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus Straits. Designed by the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan (c1489-1588) in 1580, it houses a former madrasa (now used to house a library), cloisters, a mosque to which is attached the turbe (edifice housing a grave, like a dargah, as can be found in India), and a small mosque.

This complex was commissioned by Ṣemṣi Ahmed Paṣa (1516 – 1580). Amongst his numerous achievements he was, for a time, head of the janissaries. He also served as the beglerbeg (governor) of several provinces including Rumelia (which included much of the Balkans and Romania) and Anatolia.

This lovely architectural ensemble is visited by some of the many tourists who stream past it, and by many pious locals.