“Anatolian Great Mosque” rings a bell. But why was the Mimar Sinan Camii named after a different architect? This magnificent mosque, located in the Atasehir district of Istanbul, holds a story that intertwines architectural vision with political decisions.
The Mimar Sinan Camii was commissioned by the Turkish government. Hilmi Senalp designed it. Initially, it was to be called the “Anatolian Great Mosque”. However, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was prime minister at the time, changed the name. He chose to honor Mimar Sinan, the famous Ottoman architect of the 16th century. Erdogan felt that the Anatolian side of Istanbul needed a grand imperial mosque, a “selatin” mosque. He thought the Mimar Sinan Camii would be just that.
The inauguration was quite the event. Erdogan presented visiting dignitaries with miniature replicas of the mosque. This mimicked a ritual of the Ottoman sultans. It was a symbolic gesture, linking the new mosque to the grandeur of the Ottoman past.
The Mimar Sinan Camii is quite large. It can accommodate between 10000 and 12500 people. Its central dome reaches a height of 42 meters. The minarets soar even higher to 72 meters.
Beneath the mosque lies a large underground complex. This area includes a library, classrooms, and conference halls. There are also shops, a garage, and even a VIP lounge. The complex is a modern space for learning, meeting, and socializing.
The Mimar Sinan Camii stands as a testament to both modern design and Ottoman architectural heritage. It blends traditional Islamic architectural elements with contemporary construction techniques. The mosque features a hexagonal design. This represents unity in Islamic civilization. It also incorporates six half-domes around the central dome. This feature is not fully explored in classical architecture. The design tries to connect the past with the future.
So, while Hilmi Senalp designed the Mimar Sinan Camii, its name pays tribute to a towering figure in Ottoman architecture. The mosque serves as a reminder of Istanbul’s rich architectural history. It also shows the ongoing evolution of mosque design in Turkey.