ISTANBUL, Turkey / Türkiye — Afternoon traffic clogs the main road in front of Dolmabahce Mosque in Istanbul.
Dolmabahçe Mosque, formally known as the Bezm-i Alem Valide Sultan Mosque, is a beautiful historical structure located on the European shoreline of the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey. Commissioned by the Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid's mother, Bezm-i Alem Valide Sultan, the mosque was completed in 1855 under the supervision of architect Garabet Balyan and his son, Nigogayos Balyan. The mosque, designed in the Ottoman Neo-Baroque style, represents a distinct departure from traditional Ottoman architectural styles. The mosque's exterior features two minarets with single balconies and a central dome flanked by semi-domes, resembling many traditional mosques in Istanbul. Yet, the lavish use of Balyan-style European motifs and ornamentation marks a stark departure from traditional Islamic aesthetics. Situated adjacent to the Dolmabahçe Palace, the mosque shares the palace's grandeur and elegance. The mosque's interior is adorned with elaborate calligraphy and an intricate mihrab and mimbar, which are made of marble. In the 1957, the mosque was significantly damaged in an earthquake but was subsequently restored. The mosque was initially attached to a mausoleum that housed the graves of Bezm-i Alem Valide Sultan and Sultan Abdülmecid; however, the mausoleum was later moved to the Yavuz Selim Mosque complex.
Size: 4476px × 6706px
Location: Dolmabahçe Mosque, Istanbul, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Turkey
Photo credit: © David Coleman | Have Camera Will Travel / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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