Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Mosque

Located at Aksaray, this mosque was completed in 1871 for Pertevniyal Sultan, mother of Sultan Abdulaziz, in an eclectic style blending Gothic, Ottoman and Empire elements. Its pointed arches, elaborate stone tracery and richly painted interior reflect the exuberant historicism of the late Tanzimat era. The compact single-domed hall sits within a walled precinct that once held a school and library. Standing at a busy traffic junction, it offers a delicate counterpoint to the surrounding modern city and its cosmopolitan borrowings.