The Great Transition

Fatih Mosque (1463–1470 CE):

The first monumental imperial mosque complex built inside the city walls. Constructed on the fourth hill of Constantinople (the site of the former Church of the Holy Apostles), it was the first grand civic külliye— featuring extensive madrasas, a hospital, and a library.

The mosque you see today is actually a reconstruction. The original 1470 version was severely damaged by a massive earthquake in 1766. It was rebuilt and completed in its current form by 1771 under Sultan Mustafa III.