The restoration of Istanbul’s Süleymaniye Mosque, a masterpiece by Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan completed in 1557, has revealed details of how it was built. With some 20,000 cubic metres of scaffolding, specialists could study parts of the dome that cannot be seen from the floor.
While repairing cracks, they found jars placed in a zigzag pattern among the bricks, with openings facing down. “The openings soften the sound coming from below and prevent echoes,” said Kaya Üçer of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. Acoustic tests confirmed their role in the building’s famous acoustics.
The team also uncovered original paintings from Sinan’s era and a zinc surface beneath the dome’s great calligraphic inscription, designed for durability. The restoration took around seven years, about as long as the construction, and should spare the monument major works for some 50 years.