Yesil Cami (Green Mosque)

Yesil Cami (Green Mosque) Review

A juxtaposition of simple form, inspired stone carving, and spectacular tile work, the Yesil Cami is among the finest mosques in Turkey. Work on the building was completed in 1419, during the reign of Mehmet I Çelebi (ruled 1413-21). Its beauty begins in the marble entryway, where complex feathery patterns and calligraphy are carved in the stone; inside is a sea of blue-and-green Iznik tiles. The central hall rests under two shallow domes; in the one near the entrance an oculus sends down a beam of sunlight at midday, illuminating a fountain delicately carved from a single piece of marble. The mihrab (prayer niche) towers almost 50 feet, and there are intricate carvings near the top. On a level above the main doorway is the sultan's loge, lavishly decorated and tiled; a caretaker will sometimes take visitors up to see it.