The New Mosque anchors Eminönü beside the Spice Bazaar and the Golden Horn, linking worship, trade, and public movement. Its construction stretched across generations, and the surrounding complex helped finance the mosque through commercial activity.
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The mosque’s name sounds temporary, but the New Mosque has watched over Eminönü for centuries. Construction began in 1597 under Safiye Sultan, yet work halted after her death and the building remained unfinished for decades. It was revived by Turhan Hatice, mother of Sultan Mehmed IV, and completed in 1663.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- Construction began in 1597 under Safiye Sultan.
- Turhan Hatice revived the project in the seventeenth century.
- The mosque was completed in 1663 alongside a complex including the Spice Bazaar.
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