Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent Mihrab

Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566) was the ruler during the peak of Ottoman Islamic civilization. Known as the "Servant of Two Qiblas," Suleiman had a deep attachment to Mecca and Medina, and he carried out extensive restoration and construction works in both the Sacred Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque. The mihrabs in the Prophet's Mosque are prayer places named after different imams or caliphs and sultans, located in various corners and sections of the mosque. The mihrab bearing Suleiman's name was shaped as part of the restoration and additions he made to the Prophet's Mosque. Suleiman's Hejaz policy symbolizes the Ottoman role as the protector of the Two Holy Sanctuaries. In this context, the doors, minarets, and various interior elements of the Prophet's Mosque were renewed during Suleiman's era; the Ottoman architectural style has permeated the mosque. [Source: "Prophet's Mosque", TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/mescid-i-nebevi; "Suleiman I", TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/suleyman-i]