Visit Istanbul Guide
The New Mosque at Eminönü
The New Mosque Istanbul commuters pass every day — Yeni Cami, above the ferry piers at Eminönü — is 'new' only by the standards of a city this old: begun in 1597 and finished in 1665 after sixty years of interruptions. It is free, it is on your way to everything, and the steps outside are one of the best places in the city to sit. The plan is on the Istanbul city guide homepage.
Quick answer What it is, and why to stop
An imperial mosque commissioned by a queen mother, abandoned mid-build for half a century and finished by another, standing directly above the Eminönü ferry piers with the Spice Bazaar built into its complex to fund it. Free, twenty minutes.
Key takeaways
- The Spice Bazaar was built as part of this mosque's endowment — the two are one complex
- It is thirty seconds from the Eminönü piers for a Bosphorus crossing
- Rüstem Paşa, with far better tiles, is five minutes uphill
- Same rules as any mosque — mosque etiquette
Key facts
Opening hours
| Outside prayer times | Not published as fixed hours–— |
|---|
Closed None; closed to visitors around prayers
Planning it
- Time needed
- Not stated; our routing: 20 minutes
- Address
- Rüstem Paşa Mah., Eminönü Meydanı, Fatih
Sixty years, two queen mothers
Building began in 1597 for Safiye Sultan, mother of Mehmed III, and stopped when she lost influence at court; the half-finished walls stood for fifty years until Turhan Hatice Sultan, mother of Mehmed IV, took the project over and completed it in 1665. The result is late classical Ottoman: a big central dome on four half-domes, galleries of tile that are good rather than exceptional, and a royal pavilion attached at first-floor level with its own ramp so the sultan could ride in.
The complex included the Spice Bazaar, whose rents were designed to fund the mosque's upkeep — which is why the two sit against each other and why the market is called Mısır Çarşısı, the Egyptian market, after the endowment that paid for it.
The steps, and what they look at
The forecourt steps face the Galata Bridge, the ferry terminals and the water traffic of the Golden Horn, and they are permanently occupied by people feeding pigeons, eating simit and waiting for a boat. It is free, it is loud, and it is the most alive place in the old city.
If you want the same view with a table, the fish restaurants under the bridge are two minutes away; if you want it moving, the ferries to Kadıköy and Üsküdar leave from the piers directly below at ₺46.20 a ride.
New Mosque questions
Is the New Mosque free?
Yes, like every working mosque in Istanbul. Visiting stops around the five daily prayers and for longer at Friday midday.
Why is it called the New Mosque?
Because it was the newest imperial mosque when it was finally finished in 1665, after sixty years of interrupted building. The name stuck.
What else is in the complex?
The Spice Bazaar, built as part of the mosque's endowment to fund its upkeep, plus the tomb of Turhan Hatice Sultan who completed the mosque.
Do Muslims pay to enter the Hagia Sophia?
The ground floor of the Hagia Sophia remains in use for worship and is entered free for prayer; the €25 ticket covers the upper-gallery visitor route. The Hagia Sophia page.
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