Nusretiye Camii

An imperial mosque in Tophane commissioned by Mahmud II. According to the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, construction began in June 1823 and ended on 8 April 1826; its architect was Krikor Amira Kalfa of the Balyan family. Its name, meaning victory, is associated with Mahmud II's abolition of the Janissary corps. Combining European Baroque and Empire styles, the building is known for its exceptionally slender pair of minarets, its imperial pavilion and painted decoration based on a Western ornamental vocabulary. The calligrapher Mustafa Rakım contributed to its inscriptions. It is an important example of the westernising phase of 19th-century Ottoman architecture and is open for worship today.