built between 1767 and 1771 by the architect, Mehmet Tahir Ağa. Architecture Exterior The first Fatih Mosque had one central dome supported by a single semi-dome of the same diameter on the qibla side and suspended on four arches. its dome was 26 meter in diameter. The second Baroque mosque built after the 1766 earthquake had a square plan. It has one central dome supported by four semi-domes. Only the courtyard, main entrance portal and lower portions of the minarets survive from the original construction. Interior The present interior of the Fatih Mosque is essentially a copy of earlier designs invented by Sinan re-used repeatedly by himself and his successors throughout Istanbul (this technique is emulative of the Hagia Sophia). The 26 meter diameter center dome is supported by four semi-domes on each axis supported by four large marble columns. There are two minarets each with twin galleries. The calligraphy within the mosque and the mimbar exhibit a Baroque influence, but the white tiles lack the splendor of the İznik tiles used in other mosques such as the Rüstem Pasha Mosque. The mihrab survived from the original construction. Complex As with other imperial mosques in Istanbul, the Fatih Mosque was designed as a kulliye, or complex with adjacent structures to service both religious and cultural needs. To the north and south of the mosque are the Sahn-ı Seman, eight great medreses, four on each side. These buildings are symmetrical, and each contains 18 cells for four students and a dershane. Annexes behind the medrese itself were lost to road construction. The medreses provided for about a thousand students, making it a large university for its time. The dervish inn, outside the southeast corner of the mosque precincts, has a beautiful courtyard supported by 16 different columns of verd antique and granite, probably salvaged from the Church of the Holy Apostles. Facing the dervish inn is the large Baroque türbe of Sultan Mahmud II's mother, Nakşidil Sultan (1761-1817). The graveyard beside the mosque contains the tombs (türbes) of Sultan Mehmed II and his wife Gülbahar Hatun. Both were reconstructed after the earthquake. The türbe of the Conqueror has a lavishly decorated interior and is a popular site for official ceremonies. It was customary for new sultans to visit the tomb immediately after being invested with the Sword of Osman at Eyüp Sultan Mosque. Gulbahar's türbe is more simple, with classic lines,