The inner court of Nuruosmaniye Mosque in Istanbul

Description

Featured in the 1836 collaborative work of Thomas Allom and Robert Walsh, this steel engraving depicts the inner courtyard of the Nuruosmaniye Mosque, the first grand and magnificent representative of Western (Baroque) influences in Ottoman architecture. The artwork centers on the unique polygonal (semi-oval) courtyard structure that breaks away from the classical Ottoman rectangular/square courtyard plan, along with the elegant arches built from bi-colored stones and monumental columns. The figures gathering and conversing in the shade of the columns objectively document that mosque courtyards in the Ottoman capital were not merely spaces for worship, but also vibrant and aesthetic public gathering centers bringing together different segments of society.