Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent was fortunate enough to draw on the talents of the architectural genius Sinan Pasha (1489-1588) to create the most celebrated of all the monuments in Istanbul.  Sinan built a vast religious complex called the Süleymaniye, which blended both Islamic and Byzantine architectural elements.  It combined tall, slender minarets with large domed buildings supported by half domes in the style of the Byzantine church, Hagia Sophia. The Mosque sits atop Istanbul’s Third Hill and as visible from most part of the city.

At the heart of Istanbul, and visible to any ship that passes through the Bosphorus, lies the great Topaki Palace. The immense palace complex housed government offices, such as the mint, and meeting places for imperial councils.  At its core was the sultan’s residence with its harem, gardens, pleasure pavilions, and a repository for the most sacred possessions of the empire, including the mantle of the prophet Muhammad.