Description
Ayazma Mosque is a historic Ottoman-era mosque located in the Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi neighborhood of Üsküdar, Istanbul. It was commissioned by the 26th Ottoman Sultan, Mustafa III, in honor of his mother Meryem Şehzade Sultan and his elder brother Şehzade Süleyman. The architect behind the mosque is Muhammed Tahır Ağa. Construction of the mosque began in 1758 and it was opened for worship in 1760 after a two-year building process. Architecturally, the mosque reflects both Ottoman and Baroque influences.
The mosque's minaret, which was destroyed by lightning, was reconstructed in 1872 and 1881. The mosque, which underwent restoration in 1953, is set to undergo further restoration soon.
The name "Ayazma" is derived from the presence of the Ayazma Palace and garden that previously existed at the mosque's location. The mosque exhibits Western influences in its architectural style. Access to the mosque is through a courtyard with three gates. Its minaret consists of a central dome with a single balcony, supported by four pillars, and its floor is paved with marble. The Kuşluk Ev, resembling Mustafa's tomb, draws attention. The pulpit is made of carved colored marble, and the mihrab is crafted from red veined marble. Italian tiles adorn the walls of the Sultan Mustafa Complex west of the building. Calligraphic inscriptions by Hattat Seyyid Abdullah and Hattat Seyyid Mustafa can be found inside the mosque. The courtyard hosts 43 graves, with the third one located in the left corner. The Mustafa Fountain is adorned with a Sher Zehni inscription.
Behind it, in the same year, the Şems Paşa Elementary School was constructed, which was later rebuilt in 1914.
