Mimar Sinan

Sinan was born in the village of Ağırnas near Kayseri and was taken into the Janissary corps through the devşirme as a young man. On campaigns in Europe and Asia he made his name as an engineer, building bridges and boats.

Appointed chief architect in 1539, he held the post for about fifty years under Suleiman the Magnificent, Selim II and Murad III. More than 300 buildings — mosques, madrasas, baths, bridges and caravanserais — are attributed to him.

He described his career in three stages: the Şehzade Mosque as his apprentice work, the Süleymaniye as his journeyman work and the Selimiye in Edirne as his masterpiece. He died in 1588 and lies in the modest tomb he built for himself beside the Süleymaniye.