Rüstem Pasha Mosque

Hidden above the shops near the Spice Bazaar, this small mosque designed by Mimar Sinan for the grand vizier Rüstem Pasha is famous for its dense sheathing of İznik tiles. Completed around 1563, its interior and porch glow with floral and geometric panels in tomato red, cobalt and turquoise, among the finest ceramic ensembles of the Ottoman era. Raised on a terrace above a row of vaulted shops, it is reached by inconspicuous staircases that make its brilliance feel like a reward. The tile density is unmatched.