First, breakfast of doner kebab.
We had one more mosque on our list to visit and it was the mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent. This mosque marked the peak of Ottoman prosperity; never again was the empire dominant over the region. One reason for this is that the construction drained the empire's treasury. On the old side of the city, we climbed up through several small alleys lined with local shops selling housewares and various knick knacks.
Vincent suffered a bit more through the elevation than I did, but we were both rewarded when we reached our destination. Again the inner courtyard was cool and shaded, the perfect setting to sit a bit while we waited for prayer to end and the mosque to open to visitors. Unlike the others we'd seen, this one was distinct in its use of red granite in contrast to the white-grey marmara marble (marmara means marble in Greek).
See the red granite used in the archways of the portico
Inside, the predominant decorations were frescoes, and boldly colored tiles were used more sparingly. The reason we found out, was that the intention for this space was to invoke a feeling of serenity in order to facilitate worship. It was still very beautiful!
Frescoed interior
A view of from the grounds of Suleyman the Magnificent - the European New District (left) and Asian side (right) of Istanbul, divided by the Bosphorus
Feeling pretty worn from all of the climbing we'd done in the past four days, we decided to head back to the Arasta Bazaar for some refreshments, lounging, and relaxation at a tea and hookah cafe. The eve of Eid al-Adha and the holiday itself would be our last two days in Istanbul after our side trip to Cappadocia, so it was a chance to get some last-minute shopping done as well.
Resting in the shade
Gazing back at the New Mosque and lots of fish eateries under the Galata Bridge as we crossed the Golden Horn back to our neighborhood
We whiled away a couple of hours at the cafe until heading back to our apartment on Istiklal and then catching our dinner reservations at Meze by Lemon Tree, a short walk away. We had great dining neighbors at Meze - a couple from Cornwall, England - and talked about travel, beer, and shared our experiences thus far in Istanbul. Before turning in for the night, we prepared our bags (just backpacks) for our two-night trip to the Cappadocia region.