Istanbul’s Rüstem Pasha Mosque is renowned for elaborate Iznik tilework and was commissioned by Grand Vizier Rüstem Pasha.
The mosque was designed by Mimar Sinan and completed around 1563. It stands above a row of shops in the Eminönü district, an arrangement that helped provide rental income for the religious foundation. Its relatively compact prayer hall is especially celebrated for the dense use of patterned Iznik tiles on walls, piers, and galleries.
Rüstem Pasha Mosque is sometimes mistaken for a royal mosque built directly for a sultan. Rüstem Pasha was married to Mihrimah Sultan, daughter of Suleiman the Magnificent, but the mosque bears his own name and was funded through his endowment. Its elevated position and tile-rich interior distinguish it from Sinan’s much larger imperial complexes.