This mosque was built in 1580 by Sinan, who was by then in his 90s. The church of Haghia Sophia  provided the architect with his inspiration. İznik tiles adorn the mihrab and there is a delightful deep porch before the main door. Above the entrance portal is an inscription giving the date when the mosque was established.
Kılıç Ali Paşa, who commissioned the mosque, had a colorful life. Born in Italy, he was captured by Muslim pirates
and later converted to Islam in the service of Süleyman the Magnificent (1520-66). He served as a naval commander under three sultans and after retiring asked Murat III where to build his mosque. The sultan is said to have replied "in the admiral's domain, the sea". Taking him at his word, Kılıç Ali Paşa reclaimed part of the Bosphorus for his complex. (s1)

Situated in the Tophane Square it is a small complex coprising of a mosque, a religious school, a tomb, a public fountain and a hamam. Built in 1581 by Architect Sinan on the orders of Admiral Kılıç Ali Paşa. It is one of the last projects of Architect Sinan's later works. Sinan being the most famous of all
Ottoman architects.
According to the folklore Kılıç Ali Paşa asked Sultan Murat III to give him land to build a mosque. The Sultan replied that because Kılıç Ali Paşa was such a great admiral he should build a mosque in the sea That explains why the sea shore was filled up and the complex was built in that position. The mosque is surrounded by a large courtyard and the assembly area is covered by a sloping roof, with ornate carvings on the three doors of the inner garden. There are Quranic verses painted on the ceramic panels over the windows.
In the garden is a fountain with eight marble columns and a covering dome. The mosque is based on a rectangular design and is an enlarged plan of the Hagia Sophia mosque. The top of the windows is adorned by the tiles and the largest dome is resting on four elephant leg shaped marble columns and is supported in the east and the west by two half domes. In each of the four corners a small dome is located and colored tiles with flower motifs decorate the mosques interior. The largest dome has twenty four windows and including these the building has a total of 147 windows. In 1948, the 1 6th century ship's lantern which hung from the mam dome was moved to the maritime Museum. On the right hand side a minaret rises with one balcony. The tomb of Kılıç Ali Paşa ıs located in the garden facing east. By the garden wall facing the street is a fountain The hamam on the right hand side ol the mosque is still in use today. The school is located on the sea side ol the hamam. (s2)