SALT GALATA

Story of Mimar Sinan

Mimar Sinan was the chief Ottoman architect and civil engineer for Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, Selim II, and Murad III.

According to various sources, he had over 450 constructions. His main importance lies in the innovative and experimental way of thinking that he brought the structures to a peak known as Ottoman-Turkish classics. Among his works there are 84 masques, 51 small mosques, 57 schools of theology, 7 school for Koran reciters, 22 mausoleums, 17 Alm Houses, 3 hospitals, 35 palaces and mansions and so on. His works carry importance not just for its architecture but also for its engineering. His buildings are still standing after 400 years have passed. His masterpiece is the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, although his most famous work is the Suleiman Mosque in Istanbul. He is considered to be the greatest architect of the classical period of Ottoman architecture.