Audio GuideBüyük Mecidiye Mosque

Set right on the shores of the Bosphorus in Istanbul’s lively Ortaköy neighbourhood, Büyük Mecidiye Camii—more commonly known as the Ortaköy Mosque—draws the eye with its striking history and graceful beauty. The mosque first opened its doors in the middle of the nineteenth century, when Sultan Abdülmecid the First commissioned a new architectural gem to capture the forward-looking spirit of his reign. He entrusted the project to Garabet and Nigoğos Balyan, the renowned father-and-son architects responsible for many of Istanbul’s grandest palaces. With this mosque, they created an extraordinary blend of classic Ottoman style and bold European Baroque influences.

Hasbagana Chinzorig

As you approach the mosque, you are greeted by ornate stone carvings, two slender minarets—each topped with an elegant balcony—and broad ceremonial steps inviting you inside. The prayer hall is set beneath a single vast dome, framed by unusually large windows on all sides. These windows do more than simply admit daylight; placed just so, they catch the ever-changing colours of the Bosphorus, bathing the interior in reflections of blue and gold. Inside, the walls shimmer with pink mosaics, while the marble mihrab and pulpit showcase masterful craftsmanship, and exquisite calligraphy features the sultan’s own handwriting.

Muntasser MOSLEH

Over the years, Büyük Mecidiye Camii has endured earthquakes, fires, and the steady passage of time, but on every occasion expert restoration has breathed new life into the mosque, ensuring the survival of both its structure and the cultural fusion it represents. Today, a visit here means stepping into a meeting place of old and new Istanbul. Outside, the lively square buzzes with popular cafés and street food sellers, and just steps away, the great bridge links one continent to another. The life story of this mosque is inseparable from its neighbourhood, offering a window into Istanbul’s rich past and bustling present.

Ivana Mašulović Perović