it, a madrasa was built in 1566–67. It was possibly ordered by Süleyman right before his death in 1566 as it was called the Sulaymaniyya Madrasa in some sources upon completion, but over time it became known as the Salimiyya Madrasa (after Süleyman's son Selim II), and was subject to the Hanafi school. Usage history The complex later served as a gathering point for pilgrims who wanted to prepare for the annual Hajj. Cemetery The cemetery next to the mosque is the burial place of the last Ottoman Sultan Mehmed VI, who was dethroned and forced into exile when the Ottoman sultanate was abolished in 1922. He died on May 16, 1926, in Sanremo, Italy and was buried at the cemetery of the Sulaymaniyya Takiyya. The mosque was chosen because it was located in the closest Muslim-majority country to Turkey and was built by his ancestors. There are almost thirty other graves of the Ottoman dynasty who died in exile and were not allowed to be buried in the Republic of Turkey at the time. Gallery Notes References Sources External links Sulaymaniyya Takiyya, Archnet Mosques completed in 1559 16th-century mosques Ottoman mosques in Syria Ottoman architecture in Damascus Mosques in Damascus Mimar Sinan buildings