Rustem Pasha Mosque Audio Guide Tour
A small mosque above the market streets of Eminönü, and the best İznik tilework in Istanbul — better than the Blue Mosque's, in both quality and quantity per square metre.
- At the gate
- £6.80
- Allow
- 1h 30m
- District
- Eminonu
- Closed
- Open daily
Ru00fcstem Pasha Mosque, in short
A small mosque above the market streets of Eminu00f6nu00fc, and the best u0130znik tilework in Istanbul u2014 better than the Blue Mosque's, in both quality and quantity per square metre.
Sinan built it between 1561 and 1563 for Ru00fcstem Pasha, Grand Vizier to Su00fcleyman the Magnificent and husband of his daughter Mihrimah Sultan.
What it costs
Entry is free. The guided tour is u20ac8 separately and included on the pass.
Getting there
It is easy to miss. The entrance is a stairway tucked between shopfronts on Hasu0131rcu0131lar Street, near the Spice Bazaar in Eminu00f6nu00fc u2014 the prayer hall sits on a raised terrace above the shops, whose rents originally funded it.
How long to allow
Fifteen to twenty minutes. It is small, and the point is to stand still and look up.
The tiles
Nearly every interior surface is covered in u0130znik tile from the period when the kilns were at their absolute peak, including the rare tomato-red that potters only achieved for a few decades. Ru00fcstem Pasha was extremely wealthy and this is where it went.
Frequently asked questions
- A guided visit runs about 15 minutes. It is a small building.
- Mimar Sinan, on the orders of Ru00fcstem Pasha, Grand Vizier under Su00fcleyman the Magnificent.
- For the u0130znik tiles u2014 the finest in the city, from the peak years of the kilns, including the rare tomato-red glaze.
- Up a stairway off Hasu0131rcu0131lar Street near the Spice Bazaar in Eminu00f6nu00fc. The prayer hall sits above street-level shops, so it is easy to walk past.