The mausoleum of Sultan Mahmud II (Sultan II Mahmut Türbesi) is a family tomb of the Ottoman sultans in Istanbul, near which there is a cemetery with the graves of famous Ottoman politicians and writers.
Today, the mausoleum with the cemetery is a landmark of Istanbul and they can be visited.
The mausoleum was erected after the death of Mahmud II in 1839 by order of his son Sultan Abdul-Majid I.
The mausoleum was built on land allocated by Mahmoud's sister, Esme Sultan. The architects of the mausoleum were the Ottoman Armenian architects Bogos and Hovhannes Dadyan. The building was completed in 1840.
Later , other sultans and members of the Ottoman dynasty were buried in the mausoleum: Bezmialem-Sultan, Abdul-Aziz, Abdul-Hamid II, Yusuf Izzeddin-efendi, Esma Sultan and others.
The mausoleum-tomb in the Empire style is an octagonal building covered with marble. The dome of the mausoleum is decorated with relief wreaths and flowers. Inside the building there is a marble inscription written by calligrapher Mehmet Hashim. The crystal chandelier inside the tomb was sent by Queen Victoria I of the United Kingdom. The gilded wall clock in the mausoleum is a gift from the Emperor of France Napoleon III.
Sarcophagus of Sultan Mahmud II
The area next to the tomb of Mahmud II was turned into a cemetery.
Famous statesmen, writers and poets were buried in the cemetery until 1920, including: Bedreddin Simavi, Gekalp Zia, Khalil Ryfat Pasha, Said Halim Pasha, Omer Faruk and Ertogrul Osman.
There are tombstones and sarcophagi reflecting the best examples of Ottoman stone art.
Practical information
The mausoleum and cemetery are located on the European side of Istanbul, in the historical center of Fatih district, at the address: Mollafenari, Türbedar Sk. No:11, 34120 Fatih/Istanbul, Turkey.
Coordinates of the mausoleum and cemetery: 41°00'31.0"N 28°58'21.0"E (41.008611, 28.972500).
Entrance to the cemetery and the mausoleum is free.
All accommodation facilities in Istanbul, including in the historical center, on the European and Asian sides of the city, can be viewed and booked here
