Constructed by Sultan Murat II between 1424 and 1426, the Muradiye Complex includes a mosque, a medrese, a soup kitchen, a bath, and 12 tombs that all belong to the relatives of this sultan. It is located in the city of Bursa. Sultan Murat II was the last of the Ottoman sultans to reign in the capital of Bursa before the capture of Constantinople in 1453. This complex followed the completion of the Yesil Complex.

The mausoleums all belonged to the Ottoman family. We talked about Sehzade Mustafa and Cem Sultan for a little bit here. It’s important to know that the succession rights of rulers back then were not just based on heredity, but also survival of the fittest. The son of Süleyman the Magnificent: Sehzade (Prince) Mustafa was one such notable casualty as his life was murdered by the hands of his own father in favor of another son. Cem Sultan, the youngest son of Mehmed II, was brought back to Bursa in 1495 to receive a royal burial in the tomb that had actually been built for Sehzade Mustafa. The tombs’ capitals are used as bases here.

The mosque is a typical example of early Ottoman architecture, although the mihrab and minbar are 18th-century baroque. The mosque is built in a simplified inverse T plan with a 5-bay domed portico in front as shown in the sketch, constructed of brick and with 4 major domes.

We also visited the unusual I Murat (Hiidavendigar) Camii on this day.