Ortakoy Mosque

Ortakoy Mosque

Ortakoy Mosque (Mecidiye Mosque), making up the most distinctive scenes of Istanbul with the Bosphorus Bridge, stands out with its exquisite decorations in Ortakoy. It is a beautifully designed mosque on the shore of the Bosphorus that magically rises from the water.

Built in between 1853-1855, this baroque style mosque represents the finest example of late Ottoman period architecture.

Ortakoy Mosque, identified with the district, is usually noted to be of the baroque style, but because the Ottoman adaptation of European architectural trends shows great variety and originality, it would be more appropriate to categorize these kinds of buildings as products of Ottoman eclecticism.

Architectural Features

The architect of the mosque was Nigogos Balyan, who was responsible for designing many buildings of Istanbul.

Ornate Exterior & Interior: Ortakoy Mosque is a complicated structure that overlooks the Bosphorus. Like all mosques built under the command of the sultans, it consists of of two parts, the main worship area and the summer palace section.

The main area is small and square shaped. The ceiling is a dome shape, covered in pink mosaics.

The large and high windows are placed to capture within the mosque the changing play of light reflections from the Bosphorus. The building has two single balcony minarets and walls built of white stone.

Visiting the Ortakoy Mosque

The mosque is open daily between 09:00-18:00, but closed during prayer times. Visitors are required to cover themselves on entry.

Interior of the Ortakoy Mosque, Istanbul