Türbe is the Turkish word for "tomb". In Istanbul it is often used to refer to the mausolea of the Ottoman sultans and other nobles and notables. The word is derived from the Arabic turbah (meaning "soil/ground/earth"), which can also mean a mausoleum, but more often a funerary complex, or a plot in a cemetery. Characteristics A typical türbe is located in the grounds of a mosque or complex, often endowed by the deceased. However, some are more closely integrated into surrounding buildings. Many are relatively small buildings, often domed and hexagonal or octagonal in shape, containing a single chamber. More minor türbes are usually kept closed although the interior can be sometimes be glimpsed through metal grilles over the windows or door. The exterior is typically masonry, perhaps with tiled decoration over the doorway, but the interior often contains large areas of painted tilework, which may be of the highest quality. Inside, the body or bodies repose in plain sarcophagi, perhaps with a simple inscription, which are, or were originally, covered by rich cloth drapes. Usually these sarcophagi are symbolic, and the actual body lies below the floor. At the head of the tomb a wooden pole was sometimes surmounted by a white cloth Ottoman turban (for men) or by a turban carved in stone. Earlier examples often had two or more storeys, following the example of the Ilkhanate and Persian tombs on which they were modelled; the Malek Tomb is a good example of this. The Ottoman style is also supposed to reflect the shape of the tents used by the earlier nomadic Ottomans and their successors when on military campaigns. Sultans often had their tombs built during their lifetimes, although those of other family members (and some sultans) were constructed after their deaths. The vital organs of Sultan Murad I, assassinated just after his victory at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, were buried in a türbe there while the rest of his body was carried back to his capital at Bursa to be buried in a second türbe. Famous türbes Istanbul is home to the türbes of most of the Ottoman sultans as well as to many of the grand viziers and other notables. Turkey also has türbes associated with several Sufi saints of the Ottoman Empire. Süleymaniye Mosque complex The Süleymaniye Mosque complex in Istanbul includes some of the most famous türbes, including that of