Muzaffer Özgüles: Sinan’s Sculptural Architecture in Istanbul

Although Islam has prohibited sculpturing, the grand master of all Ottoman architects, namely Sinan, was able to surmount this ban skillfully. He regarded the limitations as a challenge for his creativeness. During his half a century long career as the chief architect of Ottoman Empire, he transformed bridges, aqueducts, small buildings, and grandiose complexes into enduring monuments. The aesthetics of these works went far beyond his contemporaries and his predecessors. Architecture was the language he used to express, not only the religious believes, but also his artistic creativity. By the end of the 16th century, Istanbul, where he gave most of his works, became “Sinan’s Istanbul”. This paper aims to reveal the art and science that is the essence of his achievement.