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Rüstem Pasha Mosque, Istanbul

Rüstem Pasha Mosque in Istanbul: close-up of blue İznik tiles with floral patterns
Photo: Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free — no ticket
Hours
Open daily; closed to visitors during the five daily prayers
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
20 min
With kids
Fine with kids
Closed to visitors
During the five daily prayers — today's times below
Friday
Visitors kept out until the midday prayer ends, usually around 14:00–14:30
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Finding the entrance
Stone stairs between shops on Hasırcılar Caddesi; a second set from the side street towards the Golden Horn
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Dress code
Shoulders and knees covered; headscarf for women
Shoes
Off at the prayer-hall door
Photos
Allowed without flash; don't photograph people praying
Nearest tram
T1 to Eminönü, then ≈ 5 min on foot past the Spice Bazaar
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Address
Hasırcılar Cd. 62, Tahtakale, Fatih
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Coordinates
41.01767, 28.96870YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

İznik tilescover the walls, piers, pendentives and the porch façade
2 sourcesTDV Encyclopedia of IslamEnglish Wikipedia
Tomato redone of the earliest uses of the colour that became the hallmark of İznik ware
2 sourcesEnglish WikipediaCornucopia, after Gülru Necipoğlu, The Age of Sinan
1561–1563construction dates; the TDV Encyclopedia gives 1555–1561
3 sourcesEnglish WikipediaKültür EnvanteriTDV Encyclopedia of Islam
Mimar Sinanthe architect
2 sourcesTDV Encyclopedia of IslamEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
Rüstem PashaSuleiman the Magnificent's grand vizier and husband of his daughter Mihrimah Sultan; died 1561
2 sourcesTDV Encyclopedia of IslamEnglish Wikipedia
Raised terracethe mosque sits above vaulted shops and stores whose rents paid for its upkeep
3 sourcesTDV Encyclopedia of IslamEnglish WikipediaKültür Envanteri
8 pierscarry the dome — Sinan's first central dome on eight supports
2 sourcesTDV Encyclopedia of IslamKültür Envanteri
5 domesover the porch, on six columns
2 sourcesTDV Encyclopedia of IslamEnglish Wikipedia
1 minaretwith a single balcony
2 sourcesTDV Encyclopedia of IslamEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
2 hansthe Great and Little Rüstem Pasha hans belong to the same complex
2 sourcesTDV Encyclopedia of IslamKültür Envanteri

Prayer times today — when visitors can't enter

Loading today's times…

Prayer times follow the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet). There is no official closing window, so leave a margin: plan to arrive at least 40 minutes after a prayer starts.

Rüstem Pasha Mosque opening hours and entry

Entry is free and there is no ticket. It is a working mosque, so visitors are let in between the five daily prayers; on Friday only worshippers go in until the midday prayer ends — usually around 14:00–14:30.

Cover shoulders and knees, bring a headscarf if you're a woman, and take your shoes off at the door. Paid “Rüstem Pasha” listings online are guided walks — you pay for the guide, not for entry.

How to get to Rüstem Pasha Mosque

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on foottram T1destinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map: on foot, by tram and by taxi. Your location isn’t stored.

On foot

By public transport

  • Tram T1 to Eminönü, then about 8 min on foot.

More tips

  1. Take the T1 tram from Sultanahmet towards Kabataş and get off at Eminönü — three stops, ≈ 10 minutes.
  2. Walk past the New Mosque (Yeni Cami) to the Spice Bazaar.
  3. Leave by the bazaar’s west gate onto Hasırcılar Caddesi, the market street heading west.
  4. After ≈ 150 m, look for the stone stairs between the shops and climb up to the terrace.
  5. Carry on uphill for 10–15 minutes to the Süleymaniye.

Is Rüstem Pasha Mosque worth visiting?

Yes — if you care at all about tiles, it is one of the best 20 minutes in the old city. It is tiny compared with the Blue Mosque, but the İznik tilework is finer and there are far fewer people. Since it's on the way from the Spice Bazaar to the Süleymaniye, the detour costs almost nothing.

Skip it if you have already seen enough mosques for one trip and tilework doesn't interest you: there's no view, no courtyard garden and nothing else to do here.

The İznik tiles

The tiles are why people come. They run from floor to dome: walls, piers, pendentives, the mihrab, the minbar and the porch façade outside.

The palette is mostly cobalt and turquoise on white, with tulips and other flowers, scrolling vines and long curved saz leaves. The star is the tomato red — this is one of its earliest uses, and near the mihrab wall it is almost scarlet. Bright emerald green appears on just one panel above an outer door, added later.

What to see

  • The large blue panels on the porch wall either side of the door.
  • The mihrab wall — the most tomato red in the building.
  • The piers and pendentives, tiled right up to the dome.
  • The tiled minbar.
  • The quiet courtyard on its terrace above the market.

A short history

Rüstem Pasha was not a sultan but Suleiman the Magnificent's grand vizier, married to the sultan's daughter Mihrimah. He died in 1561 and Mimar Sinan finished the mosque after his death, by around 1563 (the TDV Encyclopedia gives 1555–1561).

The plot in the market was cramped, so Sinan lifted the mosque onto a high terrace over vaulted shops and stores, whose rents funded it. A major restoration ran from 2016 to 2020; the mosque reopened for prayer in November 2020.

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Rüstem Pasha vs the Blue Mosque and Süleymaniye

Rüstem Pashayou are hereThe finest İznik tilesSmallFreeTahtakale, by the Spice Bazaar≈ 20 minLight
Blue MosqueBlue interior, six minaretsHugeFreeSultanahmet30–45 minVery heavy
SüleymaniyeSpace and Golden Horn viewsHugeFreeHill above the Golden Horn≈ 45 minModerate

Rüstem Pasha won't replace a great imperial mosque, but its tiles beat the Blue Mosque's. Slot it in between the Spice Bazaar and the Süleymaniye — a 20-minute detour.

Istanbul's mosques and holy sites compared

Every mosque and holy site in Istanbul rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Hagia Sophia911 h 15 min€2524 min walk
Blue Mosque8645 minFree26 min walk
Süleymaniye Mosque7045 minFree8 min walk
Fatih Mosque5230 minFree28 min walk
Little Hagia Sophia4620 minFree29 min walk
Üsküdar451 h 30 minFree4.1 km
Rüstem Pasha Mosqueyou are here4420 minFree—
New Mosque4420 minFree5 min walk
Çamlıca Mosque4245 minFree8.8 km
Chora Church4245 min€202.9 km
Balat and Fener372 hFree41 min walk
Pierre Loti Hill361 hFree5.0 km
Ortaköy Mosque3240 minFree5.9 km

Bazaars and Sinan mosques in half a day

From the Galata Bridge through the Spice Bazaar to the Rüstem Pasha tiles, then up to the Süleymaniye and down to the Grand Bazaar. Add them to your route in one tap — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Galata Bridge20 min · Free
  2. 8 min walk from the previous stopSpice Bazaar40 min · Free
  3. 4 min walk from the previous stopRüstem Pasha Mosqueyou are here20 min · Free
  4. 8 min walk from the previous stopSüleymaniye Mosque45 min · Free
  5. 12 min walk from the previous stopGrand Bazaar1 h 30 min · Free

5 places · about 4 h 7 min with walks · 32 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Spice Bazaar

Istanbul, Turkey

40 min · Free · 4 min walk

New Mosque

Istanbul, Turkey

20 min · Free · 5 min walk

Bosphorus ferry cruise

Istanbul, Turkey

2 h · Price: verifying · 6 min walk

Süleymaniye Mosque

Istanbul, Turkey

45 min · Free · 8 min walk

How to do it right

  • Walk it as one route: Spice Bazaar → Rüstem Pasha → Süleymaniye.
  • Weekday mornings are almost empty — best for photographing the tiles.
  • Bring a scarf and cover your knees even though it feels like a quiet side stop.
  • Can't find the stairs? Ask any shopkeeper for “Rüstem Paşa Camii” — everyone knows it.
  • The Galata Bridge and the Eminönü ferries are five minutes away.

Questions

Is Rüstem Pasha Mosque free?

Yes. There's no ticket; it's a working mosque. You only pay if you book a guided walk.

What are Rüstem Pasha Mosque opening hours?

It's open daily, but visitors can't enter during the five daily prayers, and on Friday not until the midday prayer ends — usually around 14:00–14:30.

How do I find the entrance to Rüstem Pasha Mosque?

Look for a narrow stone stairway between the shops on Hasırcılar Caddesi, a couple of minutes west of the Spice Bazaar. Climb it to the courtyard terrace.

Is Rüstem Pasha Mosque worth visiting?

Yes, for the İznik tiles — the finest in Istanbul, with far fewer visitors than the Blue Mosque. It takes about 20 minutes and sits right on the way to the Süleymaniye.

How long do you need at Rüstem Pasha Mosque?

About 20 minutes.

Can you take photos inside Rüstem Pasha Mosque?

Yes, without flash. Don't photograph people praying.

What should I wear to Rüstem Pasha Mosque?

Shoulders and knees covered; women need a headscarf. Shoes come off at the door.

Is Rüstem Pasha Mosque open now?

Yes. It reopened for prayer in November 2020 after a restoration that began in 2016, and visitors are let in between prayers.

Who built Rüstem Pasha Mosque?

Mimar Sinan, for the grand vizier Rüstem Pasha, son-in-law of Suleiman the Magnificent. It was completed around 1563, after Rüstem's death.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • TDV Encyclopedia of Islam: Rüstem Paşa Külliyesi (İstanbul)
  • English and Russian Wikipedia: Rüstem Pasha Mosque; Wikidata Q1137511
  • Kültür Envanteri: Rüstem Paşa Camii
  • General Directorate of Foundations of Türkiye (Vakıflar Genel Müdürlüğü): reopening after restoration, 24.11.2020
  • Cornucopia — after Gülru Necipoğlu, The Age of Sinan
  • Turkey Travel Planner — mosque description
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 29.10.2026 ·
How we checkedEntry is free — it's a working mosque. There is no official visitor timetable, so Friday hours, the route to the stairs and the address are marked “verifying”. Facts are checked against at least two sources. Construction dates differ — Wikipedia and Kültür Envanteri give 1561–1563, the TDV Encyclopedia 1555–1561 — so we show both. The reopening date comes from the General Directorate of Foundations (20 November 2020); English Wikipedia says 2021. We don't repeat the popular figures of “2,300 tiles” and “over 80 patterns”: we found no second reliable source for them.

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