| Transcript |
CONSTANTINOPLE AND ITS ENVIRONS. 17
minarets. While the smaller mosques have but one, they have never less than two, and
generally four. But of all these Djami, that erected by Soliman II. is the most splendid
among the mosques, as its founder was among the sultans. He was called "the magnificent," and his temple justifies the appellation. The Christian church of Saint Euphemia,
at Chalcedon, in which the grand council had been held, was celebrated for its size and
architectural ornaments. It contained on that memorable occasion 630 bishops in its
nave, and was the most distinguished of Christian churches after Santa Sophia: when that
edifice was dedicated to the Prophet by his predecessor, Soliman could not appropriate
any of its parts to his new erection; so he dilapidated the church of St. Euphemia for
the purpose, and built his mosque with its materials. It was commenced in 1550, and
took five years to build it.
It would be difficult to convey, by any description, a perfect idea of a building so
vast and complicated. A notice of its prominent features must suffice. It is a
quadrangle, 234 feet long, and 227 wide. The great dome by which the edifice is
surmounted, is flanked or supported by two hemispheres, one on each side, and over
each aisle are four smaller ones. A broad flight of marble steps leads to the great
door, before which is a facade, which particularly distinguishes this temple. It consists
of six pillars of Egyptian porphyry, of immense size and singular beauty. Attached
to the edifice are four minarets in front and rear, having galleries ornamented with
tracery ; and by a singular irregularity, two, having but two galleries, are shorter
than the others which have three. Beside it are splendid mausolea, surmounted with
domes, under which repose the bodies of the founder and his Sultana. At the head
stands a knob covered with his turban, richly ornamented with precious stones, and near
it is suspended the Alcoran, from which an Imaum reads a daily portion, for the consolation of him whose ashes repose in the tomb, and who is supposed to hear it
Over one of the gates is an inscription recording its erection. It states that it was built
by " the glorious Vicar of Allah, existing by the authority of the mystic Koran, the tenth
of the Ottoman emperors, for the faithful people who served the Lord." It concludes
with a prayer, " That the imperial race may never be interrupted on earth, and enjoy
eternal delights prepared in paradise."
This mosque, like most others, is surrounded by two areas; one of which, planted with
trees, is a common thoroughfare usually filled with groups of people. Here soldiers
sometimes encamp, and men of war pitch their tents within the precincts of the
mussulman's God of peace. Here, also, small merchants expose their wares, and no
one casts out those who " buy and sell." Here even a Giaour may pass unobstructed,
and the infidel hat be seen mixed with the sacred turban. |
