Ottomans had a tradition of building complexes including a religious school, a hammam, a soup kitchen and stores when they built a Mosque and Süleymaniye is no exception. The Süleymaniye Mosque was built in the name of Süleyman the Magnificent 468 years ago and it has one of the most beautiful views in İstanbul.
İstanbul Municipality has recently done a wonderful restoration of Süleymaniye’s 53 stores that are as old the Mosque itself. Municipality has also turned these stores into a haven for designers and artists so every one of these stores host an artists workshop or studio. There are jewellery designers, doll makers, photographers, ceramics artists and glassware artists and many more. There is also a book store and a cafe among the stores in which you can drop by for a sip of Turkish coffee.
This was the dire condition of stores before the restoration
The Municipality calls this project İstanbul Designers Museum although none of these stores have a museum like atmosphere. They are very vibrant both in terms of the people who run them as well as what are displayed.
There is also an annual festival that hosts a large number of artists and gather İstanbulites for an experience of art.
Make sure to visit these stores when you visit one of the most beautiful mosques in the world!
