Atik Sinan

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Sinan-i Atik also known as Azadli Sinan and Atik Sinan ('Old' Sinan to distinguish him from Koca Mimar Sinan Agha), born in Istanbul (Istanbul) was an Ottoman architect for Mehmed II and Mustafa III during the 15th Century. He is credited with being the architect who built and designed Istanbul's first selatin mosque the Fatih Mosque and its complex in 1471 for the sultan Mehmed II, over the ruins of the Church of the Holy Apostles which was razed to the ground by the Ottomans, in order for the Fatih Mosque to be built. Selatin mosques have more than one minaret. Historic sources report that Atik Sinan who was a Christian Greek[1] architect, failed to make the dome of the mosque bigger and higher than Hagia Sofia which disappointed and angered Mehmed II so he had the hand of the architect amputated. Legend has it that Sinan complained to the city judge (kadhi) who ruled what the sultan did was unjust and judged that the sultan's hand should be amputated in return. Seeing the sultan obey the judge's order the Greek architect was amazed with muslim justice and converted to Islam. Sources say that the sultan rewarded Sinan ownership of a whole street town for his conversion to Islam and this gift was recognized by Ahmed III three centuries later.