The Ottoman architecture reached its summit in the late 16th century. Complex developments of new architectural forms came into co-existence all over Anatolia and Balkans.
First with Seljuk Empire from 14th to early 15th centuries and later at important Ottoman cities especially in Manisa, Iznik, Bursa, Trabzon, Amasya and the most important of all in Istanbul. Many utilities such as mosques, mausoleums, medreses (contemporary universities), baths, kitchens and dormitories built parallel and combined as one complex, called kulliye.
The apogee of Ottoman architecture achieved in the great series of külliyes and mosques that still dominate the skyline of Istanbul :
The Fatih külliye (1463-70)
The Bayezid Mosque (after 1491)
The Selim Mosque (1522)
The Sehzade Mehmet külliye (1548)
The Süleyman külliye (after 1550).
The Sehzade and Süleyman külliyes were built by Sinan, the greatest Ottoman architect, whose masterpiece is the Selim Mosque at Edirne, a frontier city on the Turkish-Greek border (1569-75).
All of these buildings exhibit a total clarity and logic in both plan and elevation; every part has been considered in relation to the whole, and each architectural element has acquired a hierarchic function in the total composition.
While mosques and külliyes are the most characteristic examples of Ottoman architecture, the huge Topkapi palace complex is a good example of royal architecture in which elaborate pavilions, halls and fountains of 300 years royal architecture are preserved in its original form.
Ottomans residential quarters were mostly wooden houses consisted of two story level with balconies enclosed. Houses all had back and front gardens, if gardens were not at both sides they had at least one garden. Unfortunately , you can hardly find any good number of examples today.
For imperial family or families of nobilty there were many palaces built within and outside the city. The finest example of such palaces can be seen today. The Ibrahimpasa Palace located on the northern side of Hippodrom stands for as best example. Palaces of this category can be seen in many popular districts of the city.
