An Evaluation on Symbolism in Mimar Sinan’s Mosques

It is noteworthy that the symbolic features of the Sinan mosques have not been studied sufficiently. In most of the studies, priority has been given to the classification of plan types and evolution in style of the chief architect. However, it is necessary to try to understand how and why the Sinan mosques, which have a very important place in Ottoman mosques, were constructed. Since Sinan placed more emphasis on his mosques than other building types, he attributed them with intense symbolic and cosmological meanings. In addition, the mosques, as most visible and most important of the Islamic structures, find meaning within the totality of Ottoman culture along political, religious, economic, and cosmological properties. In this study, the intellectual background in the creation of the mosques which are the monumental religious structure of the Sinan period Ottoman architecture and the origins and developments of the symbolic elements that shaped the mosque architecture were examined on examples. Symbolic practices in his mosques examined under main titles of “Institution and Establishment”, “Materials and Techniques”, “Plan Scheme”, “Cover System”, “Interior Components”, “Architectural Plastic” and “Holy Relics” and evaluated with their symbolic and cosmological meanings. It is understood at the end of the study that Sinan’s mosques can not be defined only within the framework of function and form relationships, as the pure function and form will not be enough to describe Sinan’s architecture alone. Behind the design codes it is understood that there are many religious, cultural and political symbolic elements beyond the standard architectural patterns required