Sultan Camii in Manisa

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The Sultan Camii mosque was built in 1800 by the order of Mehmed the Conqueror atop the ruins of a 15th century mosque. The building is named in honour of Eyup al-Ansari, the standard-bearer and friend of the prophet Muhammad, who was killed in 674 during the Siege of Constantinople. No expense was spared in decorating the building that honors one of Turkey’s national heroes. The interior is decorated with sumptuous carpets, intricate inscriptions, and elegant geometric frescoes. The mosque’s incomparable colored tiles even have samples on display in the Louvre and British Museum. Of course, for the thousands of pilgrims who come here, the architecture is secondary to the tomb of Eyup al-Ansari, which is said to hold relics from Muhammad himself. Truly a centerpiece of the community, the Sultan Camii mosque even serves breakfast everyday!