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The Yavuz Selim Mosque and in Turkish called “Yavuz Selim Camii” was built in the 16th century during the Ottoman Empire. He was commissioned by Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent in memory of his father Selim I, who is buried here.
The mosque was built on a terrace on the crest of one of the seven hills of Istanbul, in the neighboring city of Cukurbobostan. The view from the northeast towards the complex overlooking the Golden Horn is magnificent
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The architect of the mosque was called Alauddin. The famous Mimar Sinan designed one of the tombs in the garden.
It is simpler than other imperial mosques, with one large dome atop a square room with a walled courtyard. Avlu (courtyard) in front of the prayer hall is quite beautiful, with a central fountain surrounded by tall cypress trees. The floor of the portico is lined with floral patterns, and the columns are made of marble and granite.
The interior of the mosque is striking in its simplicity, the dome is smaller than usual, emphasizing the sense of space. Light penetrates through a series of windows in the arches and from twenty-four stained glass windows that pierce the dome. The interior is decorated with beautiful blue and white Iznik tiles, which fills the lunettes above the lower windows. The gilded work emphasizes the beautiful geometry of the stalactite carving over the mihrab.
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Next to the mosque is the tomb of Selim I, also known as Selim the Grim. He lost his original interior decoration, but retained two beautiful tiled panels on both sides of the door. Other tombs in the complex include the graves of four children of Suleyman, probably the work of Sinan.
Source: The rough guide to Istanbul, Wikipedia