Kara Ahmed Pasha Mosque

The mosque was commissioned by Kara Ahmed Pasha who was married to Fatma Sultan, a daughter of Selim I. He became grand vizier under Suleiman the Magnificent in 1553 but was executed by strangulation two years later in 1555. The mosque was planned in around 1555 but only constructed between 1565 and 1571–72 after the pasha had been fully exonerated. ==Architecture==

The courtyard is surrounded by the cells of a medrese and a dershane, or main classroom. Attractive apple green and yellow tiles grace the porch, while blue and white ones are found on the qibla wall wall of the prayer hall. These tiles date from the mid 16th century. The diameter dome is supported by six red granite columns. Of the three galleries, the wooden ceiling under the west one is elaborately painted in red, blue, gold and black. The mosque is last imperial building in Istanbul to be decorated with expressly designed cuerda seca tilework. Later buildings were decorated with tiles that were painted under a clear glaze. The minaret is placed at the northwest corner of the mosque. It was restored in 1696 and in again 1896. ==Gallery==

File:Gazi Ahmet Pasa Mosque 2817.jpg|Courtyard with ablution fountain File:Gazi Ahmet Pasa Mosque 2819.jpg|Portico File:Gazi Ahmet Pasa Mosque 0060.jpg|Cuerda seca tiled lunette above a niche under the portico File:Gazi Ahmet Pasa Mosque 0058.jpg|Cuerda seca tiled lunette above a niche under the portico File:Gazi Ahmet Pasha Mosque 2818.jpg|Ablution fountain. The domed canopy is modern. File:Gazi Ahmet Pasha Mosque 2820.jpg|Portal from outside File:Gazi Ahmet Pasha Mosque 2833.jpg|Portal from inside File:Gazi Ahmet Pasha Mosque 2834.jpg|Main dome File:Gazi Ahmet Pasha Mosque 2824.jpg|Mihrab File:Gazi Ahmet Pasha Mosque 0053.jpg|Conch under half-dome File:Gazi Ahmet Pasha Mosque 2837.jpg|Conch File:Gazi Ahmet Pasha Mosque 2845.jpg|Lunette with Cuerda seca tiles above a window in the qibla wall File:Gazi Ahmet Pasha Mosque 2846.jpg|Lunette with Cuerda seca tiles above a window in the qibla wall File:Gazi Ahmet Pasa Mosque 2836.jpg|Painted ceiling on panels under the western galleries File:Istanbul Gazi Ahmet Pasa Mosque october 2018 9246.jpg|Painted ceiling on panels under the western galleries File:Gazi Ahmet Pasha Mosque 0027.jpg|Mausoleum of Kara Ahmed Pasha ==See also==