Introduction
Mimar Sinan was among the greatest Ottoman architects. The buildings he set up include the most renowned familiar sights of the Turkish Empire. He is the head of the architect of the Ottoman Empire and he built at least 300 buildings. Sinan is among the men of art as well as science that formed up the main Ottoman civilization. He had been in the capacity of the head architect of the era that was most successful of the Ottoman Empire. He plays a very critical part in building up the Ottoman classic architecture style and taking this style to its highest point. The renovations he carried out, that brought in adjustments to the approach of the architecture of the whole world using the influence he had, remains to give guidance to the contemporary architecture also. This paper is going to look at the life of this prominent person, his works and style, and his architectural heritage in general.
The Life of Mimar Sinan
According to Anonymous (Biography: Kodja Mimar Sinan Kodja Mimar Sinan, Para 2), Kodja Mimar Sinan was born on the fifteenth day of April the year 1489. His place of birth was Kaisaraya, Anatolia. The name of the father is not clearly known. At some point in his early life, Sinan converted to Islam and he turned out to be a Janissary. While in this famous military service, Sinan distinguished himself. According to Anonymous (Forcibly conscripted Mimar Sinan was the Ottoman’s chief architect and an Orthodox Christian, Para 5) at this time, he was more than twenty-one years old and therefore he was sent to an auxiliary school instead of being admitted in the imperial Enderum School in the Palace of Topkapi.
Among the records that have been kept, there are those that present claims that Sinan might have been in service as a trainee of the Ibrahim Pasha school. There is a possibility that he might have received the name Sinan, which is an Islamic name, while in this place. Originally, Mimar Sinan learned carpentry as well as mathematics. But over time, because of the intellectual qualities and determination he had, it did not take long before he got involved in assisting the leading architects and at this point, he had an opportunity to acquire training as an architect (Anonymous, Forcibly conscripted Mimar Sinan was the Ottoman’s chief architect and an Orthodox Christian, Para 5).
According to Anonymous (Biography: Kodja Mimar Sinan Kodja Mimar Sinan, Para 3), Mimar Sinan became chief firework operator following the campaigns that took place between the years 1521 and the year 1522 against Rhodes and Belgrade. In the course of the war that was there with Persia in the year 1534, Sinan contravened a creative ferry operation for the victorious carrying of troops across Lake Van.
Sinan always acquired promotions time and again. In the course of a Turkish invasion that took place in the Danube Valley, he was a police magistrate. This was the same time he set up a bridge that went over the river and following this effort, he was able to achieve great fame. More so, as a result of this achievement, he turned to engage in the architectural activity on a full-time basis (Anonymous, Forcibly conscripted Mimar Sinan was the Ottoman’s chief architect and an Orthodox Christian, Para 5).
Beginning from the late 1530s up to the time he died which was in the year 1588 on the 15th day of July, Mimar Sinan carried out his work all through the Ottoman Empire, setting up more than three hundred public structures. Among these structures were the mosques and among the mosques are four great mosques that enabled Sinan to be most famous. These four mosques include the Roxelana that was set up in the year 1539, the princes that were set up in the year 1548, the Suleimaniye set up between the years 1550 and 1556 and Selim which was set up between the years 1551 and 1574.
The works and accomplishment of Mimar Sinan
Mimar Sinan is an architect who lived in the magnificent era of the Ottoman Empire and he is one of the artists who contributed to this period with the works he produced. Different sources state that this person was an architect of more than 350 structures and among these structures are 84 mosques, 51 small mosques, seven schools for those who recite the Koran, fifty-seven schools of theology, three hospitals, 48 inns, seven aqueducts, forty-six baths, and 35 palaces among other major structures (Yolsecenhani.Biz, Para 2).
Mimar Sinan served in the position of the palace’s chief architect. This implied that, as the senior manager of the work of construction in the Ottoman Empire for more than fifty years, Sinan worked with the assistants that formed a large team. These assistants are composed of master builders as well as architects.
Three major works mark the developmental and maturing stages of Mimar Sinan. The first two major works are in Istanbul. These are Sehzade Mosque that he referred to as his apprentice period work. This is the first grand mosque that Sinan ever set up. Suleymaniye Mosque is the qualification stage work and Selimiye Mosque is of the masterly stage.
There was the completion of the Mihriman Sultan Mosque in the same year the Sehzade mosque was completed and this mosque has a design that is quite original. This mosque possesses three domes that are the main ones. At the time he approached his 70th birthday, he was through with the Suleymaniye Mosque as well as the complex.
This building is among the symbolic monuments of the period. It is located on one of the Istanbul hills and faces the Golden horn. It was set up in the name of Suleyman the magnificent. The dome’s diameter that goes beyond thirty meters is among the very much significant examples of the degree of achievement Sinan approached in the field of architecture. He completed this when was eighty years of age. At this point, he arrived at the climax in his works that were shown at Selimiye. Sinan gave out projects that were of their own kind in other fields such as the mausoleums. The attention is gotten from the mausoleum of Sehzade and particularly the exterior decorations it has as well as its dome that is sliced. More so, another structure that is of much interest is the Rustem Pasa mausoleum. This is a very nice-looking construction in the classical style.
The mausoleum of Suleyman the magnificent has a flat dome and an octagonal body. This is among the interesting experimentations of Sinan. Another mausoleum that was set up was the Selim II mausoleum. This portrays an arrangement whose shape is a square. On the other hand, the mausoleum that belongs to Sinan himself is a very plain structure. This mausoleum is situated on the northeast side of the Suleymaniye complex.
Mimar Sinan also engaged in the construction of bridges. In these works he portrayed art and functionalism and art that were brought together most masterfully. The largest bridge he constructed is a bridge that is about 635 meters long which is called the Buyufcekmece Bridge. Among other bridges that were constructed include such bridges as the Luleburgaz Bridge that was constructed on the Luleburgaz River, Sinnli Bridge constructed on the Ergene River, and the Drina Bridge which turned out to be the title of the renowned novel of Ivo Andric who is a Yugoslav writer.
While this prominent person was ensuring sufficient maintenance and upgrading of the Istanbul water supply scheme, he has set up arched aqueducts in this city in diverse regions. Among these is the Maglova Arch which is built over the Alibey River and this one is 237 meters in length. It is 35 meters in height and makes a display of two layers of arches and this is among the samples that are great (Yolsecenhani.Biz, Para 6).
Sinan did not just set up great monumental works but he as well carried out the additions to the structures that had already been set up in the capital, most particularly in Topkapi and Haghia. Of great importance still, Mimar Sinan engaged in training a school of architects. Among these were the apprentices he had who were Mehmet Aga, Davut Aga, and Dalgic Ahmet. These apprentices had the responsibility to carry Sinan’s structural experiments in the generation that had to come in post-classical masterpieces like the Sultan Ahmet mosque, the New Mosque, and the mausoleum (Alexander, Para 7).
Conclusion
Following the discussion, it can be concluded that Mimar Sinan was a great architect who is still remembered to this day because of the works he set up. He was involved in setting up several structures which are very famous. Beginning from the late 1530s up to the time he died which was in the year 1588, Mimar Sinan carried out his work all through the Ottoman Empire, setting up more than three hundred public structures. Among these structures were the mosques and among the mosques are four great mosques that enabled Sinan to be most famous.
Other than mosques, Sinan also engaged in the construction of bridges. As seen in the bridges Mimar Sinan constructed, there is a masterful combination of functionalism and art. The largest bridge he constructed is a bridge that is about 635 meters long which is called the Buyufcekmece Bridge.
Sinan did not just set up great monumental works but he as well carried out the additions to the structures that had already been set up in the capital, most particularly in Topkapi and Haghia. Of great importance still, Mimar Sinan engaged in training a school of architects in which he trained apprentices that that had to carry on his work of architecture in the generations that would follow.
Works Cited
Alexander, Christopher. “Mimar Sinan.” Turkish Ministry of Culture. Web.
Anonymous. “Biography: Kodja Mimar Sinan.” Yourdictionary. Web.
Anonymous. “Forcibly conscripted Mundratabloidimar Sinan was the Ottoman’s chief architect and an Orthodox Christian.” Tundratabloid, 2010. Web.
Yolsecenhani.biz. “Biography of Mimar Sinan.” yolgecenhani.biz, 2009. Web.