The Rüstem Paşa Camii
Title: Prayer Hall of the Rüstem Pasha Mosque
Architect: Mimar Sinan
Date: ca. mid-16th century
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Rüstem Paşa Camii, anglicized as the Rüstem Pasha Mosque, was designed by the architect Mimar Sinan and commissioned by the mosque’s namesake, Rüstem Pasha, who served as a Grand Vizier in the Ottoman Empire (1544—1561).
The structure’s contribution to the community was threefold. First, it provided a prayer space for the Tahtakale neighborhood, which lacked such a space. Second, its use of Iznik tiles—which adorn the walls, mihrab, and minbar—supported the Turkish city of Iznik where they were made. Third, the mosque was built to generate revenue and be a self-sustaining part of the community. To achieve this, the prayer hall was built atop a raised platform, allowing a marketplace to exist underneath the mosque while aiding it financially.