ISTANBUL, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) — The restoration project on Suleymaniye mosque, one of Istanbul’s most famous mosques, has been completed in time for Eid prayers, semi-official Anatolia News Agency reported on Tuesday.
The restoration on the mosque, commissioned by Suleyman the Magnificent and built by the famous architect Sinan from 1551 to 1558, has cost the Directorate of Foundations 21 million Turkish Lira (around 15 million U.S. dollars) and involved a team of 200 specialists.
The Suleymaniye mosque, as a UNESCO world heritage site, was itself a gift to worldwide architecture and the restoration project was done owing greatly to scientific methodology, Istanbul Foundation’s First Region Director Ibrahim Ozekinci was quoted as saying.
Small cracks in the dome are carefully filled in, metals are replaced, protective coating is used on the outside paint, cement from an earlier restoration is removed and the calligraphy is retouched. The simulation technique by Istanbul Technical University showed that the mosque can withstand an magnitude 8.0 earthquake.
The mosque, which has previously been restored in 1849 and 1960, will be open to public in time for Eid prayers next week.
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