One of the finest Ottoman architectural treasures of the famous architect Sinan Agha. It is located in the old market area of Aminonu district of Al Fateh district in the European section of Istanbul.
The mosque was built in 1561 by the order of the great Croat father Rustum Pasha, the husband of the son of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent Mihrimah Sultan.
The mosque consists of one minaret and one central dome with a diameter of 15.50 m, based on four semi-vaults, as well as the five small domes, which are above the rectangular gallery, based on columns with semicircular arches, connected to a second hallway from the outer end. The mosque also has an eight-shape courtyard and a courtyard overlooking the street.
The Rustum Pasha Mosque is known for being covered with beautiful decorative pieces, which are unique examples of the art of the Ottoman court, and distinctive ceramic pieces originating from Turkish ornaments, which were an important source of ceramic production at the time. In Istanbul, there is a lot of red ceramics, which was rare at that time due to the difficulty of producing it.
The mosque was exposed to fire in 1660 which caused damage to it, as well as the great earthquake that occurred in 1766 caused the demolition of the minaret and dome. It was restored in the time of Sultan Mustafa II (1664 - 1703 AD). However, the reconstruction of the minaret and the destroyed dome led to the removal of the mosque from the designs of the architect Sinan usual.
