İstanbul’s Süleymaniye Mosque, a masterpiece by the genius architect Mimar Sinan and one of the most distinguished examples of world architecture, was reopened on the first day of the Eid al-Adha festival on Tuesday following completion of an extensive renovation project.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç and State Minister Hayati Yazıcı in addition to many other state figures performed the Eid prayer at Süleymaniye Mosque. The prayer was led by Professor Mehmet Görmez, the newly appointed head of the Religious Affairs Directorate. At the end of the prayer, Erdoğan exchanged greetings with those who attended the prayer. He wished everyone a “Happy Eid al-Adha” and said he hoped the festival would strengthen the solidarity of the nation. According to information provided by the 1st Region Directorate of the Foundations General Directorate the last time the mosque was renovated was 50 years ago. There were some insignificant attempts to refurbish parts of the mosque by the community and association officials; however, the original materials used in the mosque had been adversely affected by environmental factors and by the use of incorrect materials in earlier restorative attempts.
Sinan, the architect, was born in Kayseri in 1490 and was 98 years of age when he died. He was appointed head architect when he was 50 years old, during the reign of Süleyman the Magnificent, during which the Ottoman Empire reached the apex of its power. He continued working as head architect during the reigns of Sultan Selim II and Sultan Murad III. He left countless works in the empire that span three continents.
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