Great architect: Mimar Sinan

Mimar Sinan, who occupies the pinnacle of architectural history with the aesthetics, style, and functionality of the structures he built in the cities of the Ottoman Empire, continues to inspire admiration even after centuries. Sinan, born in the village of Ağırnas in Kayserı in 1490, was brought to Istanbul as a devshirme during the reign of Sultan Yavuz Sultan Selim. Participating in Sultan Selim's Egypt campaign that began in 1516, Sinan had the opportunity to familiarize himself with architectural works in the region, including Seljuk, Safavid, and ancient structures. This allowed him to gain significant knowledge in architectural-urban relationships and city planning. During the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, Sinan served as a Janissary in the army and rose to prominence after his achievements in the 1521 Belgrade and 1522 Rhodes campaigns. During the Iraq campaign, in 1534, upon the order of Lütfi Pasha, Sinan constructed three galleys in Tatvan. He equipped these ships, which he also commanded, with weapons such as cannons and rifles to gather information about the situation of the Safavid forces. Although Sinan served in various ranks and accompanied Kanuni Sultan Süleyman on many campaigns, his ultimate goal was to practice architecture. In 1538, once again under the assignment of Grand Vizier Lütfi Pasha, Sinan won the admiration of Sultan Suleiman by constructing a bridge over the Prut River in 13 days during the Moldova campaign. As a reward, he was appointed as the Chief Royal Architect. After this event, Sinan left the Janissary Corps and devoted himself to architecture, where he would create magnificent works. In his approximately 50-year-long journey as the Chief Royal Architect, Mimar Sinan designed and constructed hundreds of buildings of various sizes and also undertook the restoration of certain structures. Throughout his life, Sinan left his mark on more than 350 works, including 82 mosques, 52 small mosques, 55 theological schools, 7 Quranic schools, 20 tombs , 17 soup kitchens, 3 hospitals , 6 aqueducts, 10 bridges, 20 caravanserais , 36 palaces, 8 cellars, and 48 bathhouses. Mimar Sinan, leaving his mark on numerous works in many cities of the empire, defined the stages of his architectural career with three major complexes. He referred to Şehzade Mosque, completed in 1548, as his 'apprenticeship work,' Süleymaniye Mosque, completed in 1557, as his 'journeyman work,' and Selimiye Mosque, opened for worship in 1575, as his 'masterpiece.'