The most beautiful religious buildings Route de la soie

The oldest imperial sanctuary in the city, the mosque of Beyazıt is the first illustration of the central dome shape counter-butted by two half-domes. You can admire a kind of synthesis of Byzantine and Ottoman architecture. Located on the ruins of the Theodosius Forum, this mosque is pleasant to visit and somewhat changes from the classic Ottoman architectural canons. This is the second imperial complex of mosques built in Istanbul after the Ottoman takeover of Constantinople. This complex was built between 1501 and 1506 for the Sultan Beyazıt II (1482-1512), son of Sultan Mehmed. Composed of a mosque, a medersa, a popular refectory (which now houses a library), a caravanserai, a school, a hammam and mausoleums, the külliye has been damaged by various earthquakes and has undergone several repairs and restoration. In a style inspired by Saint Sophia, the large prayer room is topped by a dome resting on four large square pillars, counterbalanced by two half-domes. Other elements, such as the columns and buttresses that support the domes, are inspired by the Fatih Mosque. The side naves are connected to the central space by two large arches that were originally dervish convents. Today, note that this mosque is a high gathering place for the city's fundamentalists. Impressive during the Friday prayer.

Armenians were never very numerous in St. Petersburg, but they founded the Armenian Apostolic Church there, independent of the Russian Orthodox Church. St. Catherine's Church was built at the end of the 18th century. It is noteworthy for its baroque facade, its bright colours and its astonishing appearance set on the edge of the wide open spaces of the Nevsky perspective. It is one of the favourites of tourists who stop intrigued by this building with its rather un-religious appearance.

This temple, founded in the th century, is located minutes walk west of the Tambour tower, next to the Hotel Xijing. There is a carved wooden portico, surmounted by Chinese characters in red. Two courses must be crossed before accessing the sanctuary. The original temple was built in 1376 and completely renovated in 1852. It is one of the best preserved Ming and Qing buildings in the province.

It is probably also in two other names that this mosque, restored in 1652 by Ibrahim Agha el-Moustahfizan, is known: under the term of its founder, Prince Chams el-Din Aqsunqur or under his nickname "Blue Mosque". The interior of this mosque is distributed in a courtyard surrounded by the four traditional iwans. It is in El-Moustahfizan that the blue faïs that cover the interior of the mosque have been created, which have given the mosque this color qualifier. Three mausoleum are distributed inside the mosque.

A pleasant walk through Saraçhane, Horozlu Bayır and Imaret avenues leads to the Tunca River and the 15th-century religious center of Beyazıt, which originally grouped, around its mosque flanked by four minarets, a medical school, a lunatic asylum, a travelers' hostel as well as a medersa. The complex, completed in 1488 by the architect Hayrettin, represents the largest and most complete monument in the city. The style of the mosque borrows from the Three Galleries Mosque (Üç Şerefeli) and the Selimiye Mosque. The interior, meanwhile, is reminiscent of the Yeşil Camii in Bursa and houses the imperial lodge. Preceded by a traditional ablutions courtyard, the prayer hall is topped by a large dome 20 m in diameter, resting on the walls. Two buildings have been nicely renovated into a museum: the hospital and the medical school. They house the Health Museum (Sağlık Müzesi) attached to Trakya University, the first of its kind in Turkey. The place, dedicated to the history of Arab medicine, presents the sometimes original treatments and protocols that were implemented there until 1909. Musicology, for example, was used to treat madness. Mannequins dressed as doctors and patients show the procedures of the time. And explanatory panels enhance the visit. Around the building, gardens offer a welcome break. Don't hesitate to discover the surgical tools room.

It is, without question, the most beautiful building in Edirne. And it is the work of the brilliant architect Mimar Koca Sinan, to whom we also owe the imposing mosque of Soliman the Magnificent (Süleymaniye Camii) in Istanbul. The Selimiye Camii, a magnificent imperial religious building, was built on the highest point of the city, between 1569 and 1575, by order of Sultan Selim II. This square mosque sits at the center of a remarkable architectural and social complex (külliye) with schools and stores. Its single main dome of 31 m in diameter (slightly larger than that of the Hagia Sophia Basilica in Istanbul) creates a bright and airy prayer space. Eight pillars, buttresses and several arches support the 48-ton dome. The four minarets of 71 m direct the building towards the sky and give it an enchanting silhouette that dominates the ancient Ottoman city. The interior adorned with Iznik earthenware testifies to the heyday of this craft. Behind, in the garden, we see Ottoman steles in line. Originally, the Selimiye Mosque was surrounded by a series of buildings housing several Koranic schools and libraries. Today, the Koranic school (medersa) is a museum of Turkish and Islamic art. The ensemble is considered the most harmonious expression of the Ottoman külliye. Also, in 2011, the mosque and the surrounding architectural ensemble were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.