Step up to this 17th century mosque, surrender your shoes and step inside for a breathtaking moment. The handmade tiles are especially beautiful when combined with the soft glow from hundreds of candles. This well-kept mosque is a working house of worship so please be respectful. Keep your voices down, do not use flash photography and stay away from the prayer areas if you are not a Muslim.

The gardens outside offer a great view of the mosque and are well manicured. They're also great for a break.

There is no entrance fee.

The Suleymaniye Mosque, built between 1550 and 1557, was founded by Suleyman the Magnificent and designed by the master architect Sinan. The age of Suleyman the Magnificient was a golden one for the Ottoman Empire. The empire itself stretched over parts of Western Europe, Asia and Africa, arts and culture flourished in Istanbul as did architecture which, perhaps, reached it’s peak in the Mosque that bears Suleyman’s name. As well as being a place of worship the Mosque complex was also a community centre including a hospital, soup kitchen, school and bath house plus a welfare system that tended to the needs of the poor of the city. It was estimated that each day the Mosque complex fed over 1000 of the poorest citizens, regardless of their religion. Although you can’t really say that such a large building is ‘hidden’ in the warren of streets that is that part of Istanbul we had quite a hard time finding it! Or at least the entrance to it! Not that a wander through the streets of Istanbul was un-pleasant, quite the opposite, but I would recommend getting a good street map and someone, who unlike me, can map read properly!

The complex is very worthy of the name magnificent. The gardens surrounding the mosque are peaceful and a good place to wander and admire the exterior of the building. In its shape it is reminiscent of Aya Sofia, that being an inspiration for the architect Sinan. High arches topped with domes surround the large courtyard and four slender minarets mark the corners. These reputedly represent the fact that Suleyman was the fourth Ottoman ruler of Istanbul.

The spacious, tranquil interior is not as highly decorated as the Blue Mosque but is equally as impressive with its fine masonry, decorated dome and intricate calligraphy. The tombs of Suleyman and his wife Roxelana, next to the Mosque, are also worth visiting. Ceramic stars are set into the ceiling overlooking the coffins of Suleyman, his daughter and two of his successors and both tombs are decorated with Iznik tiles. As with all mosques, visitors should dress modestly (no shorts or short skirts) and women should cover their shoulders and head. You will be asked to take your shoes of before entering the Mosque. There is no set entrance fee but please give a donation.

An upwards walk through the intricate web of Istanbul streets will eventually lead to the great Suleyman Mosque, one of the architectural masterpieces designed by Sinan. It was constructed from 1550 to 1558. The huge complex on the hilltop hovers above the level of the Golden Horn, Bosphorus and Marmara Sea.

The design is derived from the famous prototype Hagia Sophia. Two half-domes and two tympanum walls buttress the central dome, which has a diameter of 85 feet and a height of 170 feet. Four great pillars support the dome inside. The layout includes four minarets, a typical number for a large mosque. The two taller minarets are positioned adjacent to the mosque.

Before entering the great mosque, hang around the colonnaded forecourt (avlu) and appreciate the beautiful exterior and how its elements react with the blue sky above. The ablution fountain centers this courtyard, which really does seem peaceful in comparison with tourist meccas like the Blue Mosque or Hagia Sophia. The prayer hall measures as a rectangle with sides of 230 and 200 feet in length. Colorfully patterned Iznik tiles help to decorate the vast interiors.

Complimentary buildings like various schools, hammans, a hospital, and soup kitchen surrounded the mosque. The gardens behind the mosque also include the revered mausoleums of Suleyman and his wife Roxelana. Things seem a little quieter here, so the only touts you may run into here are youngsters selling packs of tissues. For those looking for the tomb of the architect himself, Sinan is also buried at a location just southwest of the mosque.

If you keep wandering down the hill in a southerly direction, you will come across the Istanbul University campus. Further along you will encounter the Grand Bazaar.

This is one of the biggest mosques in Europe and has the most beautiful ornaments. As the name says the color that dominates in the arabesques is blue. It has a big yard where tourists usually spend most of their time, but when you get inside, it's a completely different experience.

Of course, before entering in the mosque, you will have to take off your shoes (that is a tradition). It's an Islamic rule that women can’t enter the mosques, but since this one is a popular touristy sight, women can go in, too. You can stay while the service is on, but the best time to look around is between 5 and 7pm because there is no service at that time and there are no believers, so you can just walk around and not be afraid that you’ll disturb somebody during their prayer. It’s a "must see" sight.

In the yard there is an old man who sells traditional Islamic hats -- they're very cheap and it's a beautiful souvenir that will remind you of this marvelous piece of art. Also there are many people that will tell you about the mosque’s history for a very cheap price-around five dollars. They speak many different languages, so you’ll understand no matter where you’re from.

The most popular tourist attractions in Istanbul can all be found in Sultanahmet District. At the center of is the Golden Triangle with Saint Sophia Cathedral, the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace.

The Hagia Sophia (St Sophia Basilica) represents the different periods of medieval history in Istanbul like no other place. It was built in 537 as the spiritual center of the entire Byzantine Church. In 1453 the people of Istanbul, which at the time was called Constantinople, gathered in St Sophia's, praying to God to save their city from Turkish occupation. After Constantinople nevertheless fell to Sultan Mehmet, St Sophia's was used as a mosque for five centuries, until Kemal Atatürk turned it into a museum in 1934.

The result is an interesting mixture of styles in St Sophia's: you can still see the wonderful golden mosaics of the old Christian church, but all the sculptures and paintings of Christian saints have been removed and replaced by Muslim symbols.

Sultan Ahmet Camii (the Blue Mosque) stands just across the street from St Sophia's. When this mosque was built in 1609, Sultan Ahmet wanted it to be even larger and more beautiful than the Hagia Sophia. This shows in the picturesque interior, which is decorated with blue and white enamel tiles with flower symbols.

However, the Blue Mosque has never left the great impression on me that other travelers report. Maybe that's because its size and the constant flow of visitors mean that it fails to inspire a reverential atmosphere. Nonetheless, the Blue Mosque is a fantastic piece of Ottoman architecture, both inside and outside.

The most beautiful monument in the Sultanahmet area is Topkapi Sarayi (Topkapi Palace). This place is so rich and diverse in architecture and artwork that it is hard to put it into a few words for this journal. The palace embraces an area of over 170 acres, which includes numerous courts, yards and gardens, two museums, and almost endless numbers of halls, saloons, libraries and harems.

Gold and enamel decorations, mosaics, colorful carpets and breathtaking jewelry collections are among the many attractions to be discovered at Topkapi Palace. You should reserve at least half a day for an excursion to this place.

If the tourist bustle around Sultanahmet is not your kind of thing, then Sultan Suleymaniye Camii may be more to your liking. This mosque, half a mile northwest of Sultanahmet in Beyazit district, is almost as beautiful as the Blue Mosque, but far less crowded.

You may also like to explore the outer parts of Sultanahmet around the Hippodrome. Stroll around small old streets and markets, discover the remains of the Forum Romanum around the Constantine Column, or pay a visit to Cagaloglu Hamani, Istanbul's oldest Turkish bath.