Who is Mimar Sinan?

Architect Sinan or Koca Mi'mâr Sinân Âğâ (Sinaneddin Yusuf - Sinan, son of Abdulmennan) (y. 1488/90 - 17 July 1588), Ottoman chief architect and civil engineer. The Ottoman sultans Kanuni Sultan Süleyman, who gave important works in his career, II. Selim and III. Mimar Sinan, who served as chief architect during the Murat era, has been known worldwide in the past and present with his works. His masterpiece is the Selimiye Mosque, which he calls “my masterpiece”.

Mimar Sinan's Origin and Revolution

Sinaneddin Yusuf was born in the village of Agrianos (today Ağırnas) in Kayseri, as an Armenian or a Greek or a Christian Turk. In 1511, during the reign of Yavuz Sultan Selim, he was taken to the Janissaries, who came to Istanbul as a recruitment.

“This worthless servant was the reign of Sultan Selim Han's reign garden, and that was the first time that the boy was taken from Kayseri's banner. Depending on the rules applied to solid characters, I was chosen voluntarily amongst novice boys. Under the hands of my master, I observed the center and the periphery, just like a compass, with my foot fixed. Finally, I wanted to travel to the lands to increase my manners by drawing a bow just like a compass. At one time, I traveled to Arab and Novice countries in the service of the sultan. By grabbing something from the top of each palace dome and from each ruin corner, I increased my knowledge and experience. Returning to Istanbul, I worked in the service of the notables of the time and went to the door as a janissary. ”
(Tezkiretü'l Bünyan and Tezkiretü'l Ebniye)

Mimar Sinan's Janissary period

Sinan, the son of Abdulmennan, joined the Egyptian campaign of Yavuz Sultan Selim as an architect. He joined the Belgrade Campaign of Suleiman the Magnificent in 1521 as the Janissary. He participated in the Rhodes Campaign in 1522 as the Mounted Horse, and after the Battle of 1526 Mohaç Square, he was appreciated for the benefits he was promoted to the Novice Boy Pedestrian (Division Commander). Later he became Zemberekçibaşı and Chief Technician.

In 1533, during the Iranian Campaign of Suleiman the Magnificent, Mimar Sinan gained great reputation by making three galleys and equipping it in two weeks to go to the opposite beach in Van Lake. Upon returning from the Iranian Campaign, the rank of Hasekilik, which has a high reputation in the Janissary Party, was given. With this rank, he participated in 1537 Corfu, Pulya and 1538 Moldova expeditions. In 1538, in Karaboğdan Campaign, the bridge was required for the army to cross the Prut River, but the task, which could not be established despite the days of struggle in the swamp area, was given to the son of Abdulmennan, Sinan, upon the orders of Kanat Çelebi Lütfi Pasha's vizier.

I immediately started the construction of a beautiful bridge over the aforementioned water. I made a high bridge in 10 days. The king of all creatures with the Islamic army passed with joy.
(Tezkiretü'l Bünyan and Tezkiretü'l Ebniye)
After the construction of the bridge, Abdulmennan's son Sinan is appointed as Chief Architect at the age of 17 after 49 years of janissary life.

Even though the idea of ​​leaving the road in the Janissary quarry was an issue, I thought that architecture would eventually build mosques and lead many worlds and values.
(Tezkiretü'l Bünyan and Tezkiretü'l Ebniye)

Mimar Sinan's Chief architect period

Sinan, who was the chief architect of Hassa in 1538, served as chief architect Kanuni Sultan Süleyman, II. Selim and III. The three works of Mimar Sinan, who made it for 49 years in the period of Murat, before being brought to architecture, are remarkable. These are: Husreviye Complex in Aleppo, Shepherd Mustafa Complex in Gebze and Haseki Complex built for Hürrem Sultan in Istanbul. In the Hüsreviye Kulliye in Aleppo, a dome mosque style was added to the corners of this dome by adding a dome, and a mosque with a side space was combined, thereby following the works of Ottoman architects in Iznik and Bursa. In the complex, there are also sections such as courtyard, madrasah, Turkish bath, imaret and guest house. Colorful stone inlays and ornaments are seen in the Shepherd Mustafa Pasha Complex in Gebze. The mosque, tomb and other elements are placed in a harmonious style in the complex. Haseki Complex, the first work of Mimar Sinan in Istanbul, carries all the architectural elements of its period. The mosque is completely separate from the other parts of the complex, consisting of a mosque, madrasa, alchemy school, imaret, darüşşifa and a fountain. The three great works that Mimar Sinan gave after becoming the architect are the steps that show the development of his art. The first of these is the Şehzade Mosque and its complex in Istanbul. Şehzade Mosque, built in the style of a central dome in the middle of the four half domes, set an example for all the mosques that were built later. Süleymaniye Mosque is the most magnificent work of Mimar Sinan in Istanbul. It was built between 1550 and 1557 during the journeyman in his own words.

The greatest work of Mimar Sinan is Selimiye Mosque in Edirne (86), which he built at the age of 1575 and presented as "my masterpiece". As long as he was the architect, he dealt with many different subjects. From time to time, he restored the old ones. He spent his greatest efforts on this issue for Hagia Sophia. In 1573, he repaired the dome of Hagia Sophia and built reinforced walls around his surroundings and ensured that the work came to these days intact. The demolition of structures that were built near ancient monuments and monuments and disrupted their appearance was also among his duties. For these reasons, it caused the demolition of some houses and shops built around Zeyrek Mosque and Rumeli Fortress. He worked on the width of the streets of Istanbul, the construction of houses and the connection of sewers. He drew attention to the fire danger arising from the narrow streets and published a decree on this issue. It is very interesting that Istanbul, which is a problem even today, is personally interested in the sidewalks. The seal engraved on the Büyükçekmece Bridge also reflects its modest personality. The seal is as follows:

“Al-fakiru l-Hakir Ser Mimaranı Hassa”
(Worthless and needy servant, head of Palace special architects)
Some of his works are in Istanbul. Mimar Sinan, who passed away in Istanbul in 1588, was buried in his simple tomb next to the Süleymaniye Mosque.

The Mimar Sinan Tomb is a white tomb with a white stone right in front of the Golden Horn wall of the Suleymaniye Mosque, right after the exit from the Mufti of Istanbul, right on the left, at the intersection of the two streets. His grave was excavated by members of the Turkish History Research Institute in 1935 and his skull was taken for examination, but it was observed that the skull was not in place during the next restoration excavation.

In 1976, a crater in Mercury was named Sinan Crater with the decision of the International Astronomical Union.

Mimar Sinan Works

Mimar Sinan has 93 mosques, 52 mosques, 56 madrasahs, 7 darül-kurra, 20 tombs, 17 imarethane, 3 darüşşifa (hospital), 5 waterways, 8 bridges, 20 caravanserais, 36 palaces, 8 cellars and 48 baths. He made a work. [375] In addition, Selimiye Mosque in Edirne province is on the World Cultural Heritage list.

Mimar Sinan's Its place in popular culture

It was played by Mehmet Çerezcioğlu in the 2003 series Hürrem Sultan. Several episodes of the 2011 Magnificent Century series were played by Gürkan Uygun.