Sinan Pasha Mosque

This graceful mosque in the Beşiktaş district was built by the great architect Mimar Sinan in the 1550s for the admiral Sinan Pasha, brother of a grand vizier. Modelled in miniature on Sinan's own larger works, its hexagonal baldachin plan and elegant proportions make it a refined study in classical Ottoman design. A shaded courtyard with an ablution fountain precedes the domed prayer hall, set close to the busy square by the ferry piers. Often overlooked by visitors hurrying past, it rewards attention as a polished smaller commission.