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The New Mosque (Yeni Cami), originally named Valide Sultan Mosque, is an Ottoman imperial mosque in Istanbul’s Eminönü district. Built between 1597 and 1665, its construction was initiated by Safiye Sultan and later completed by Turhan Sultan. It stands at the southern end of the Galata Bridge, marking the transition from Istanbul’s historic core to Beyoğlu.
The mosque's construction faced delays due to political opposition and financial concerns. It was abandoned in 1603 and later damaged in the 1660 Great Fire. Turhan Sultan resumed the project, also commissioning the nearby Spice Bazaar. Completed in 1665, it was renamed the New Valide Sultan Mosque, later shortened to Yeni Cami.
Architecturally, the mosque features a 36-meter-high dome supported by four semi-domes, inspired by earlier designs of Mimar Sinan. The courtyard, flanked by colonnades, includes an ornamental ablution fountain. Inside, İznik tiles adorn the walls, and the dome rests on four massive piers. A royal lodge with a gilded screen connects to an imperial pavilion.
The mosque complex (külliye) once included a hospital, school, and palace. The Spice Bazaar, originally part of this complex, remains a major landmark. The adjacent mausoleum houses the tombs of Turhan Sultan, Mehmed IV, and five later sultans. The mosque undergoes ongoing restorations by the Turkish General Directorate of Foundations.
References:The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.