Hırka-i Şerif Mosque

It is one of the most beautiful buildings in the Karagümrük area of Fatih. It was built on high ground. The mosque was built in 1851 by Sultan Abdülmecid. Although it was built relatively recently, it is not known who its architect was. It is said to have been built by the Balyan family.

The cloak (hırka) that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) gave as a gift to Uwais al-Qarani is kept here. The cloak is opened to visitors during Ramadan. The mosque takes its name from this sacred relic. In the 17th century, by decree of Sultan Ahmed I, the cloak was taken from the Üveys family, the descendants of Qarani who preserved it, and brought to Istanbul. After being kept in various places, it was placed in this mosque, which Sultan Abdülmecid had built to preserve the sacred relic. On the upper floor of the mosque is the sultan's apartment. In addition, a section was built out of respect for the Üveys family to whom the cloak had been gifted.

Its front façade has a different atmosphere. It has two minarets with a single balcony each. Their tops resemble the top of a column capital. The courtyard has three entrances. The wooden doors are striking. The mihrab, minbar and lectern reflect the architecture of the period. They have a rococo-style architecture. The embroidery and decoration bear the stamp of the famous calligrapher of the period, Mustafa İzzet. In addition, panels written in the handwriting of the mosque's founder, Sultan Abdülmecid himself, are located above the minbar. Today it is among the mosques flooded with visitors.