J. Cosmas Vintage Photography By the Armenian Ottoman photographer Mirhan Iranyan (active 1890's, Constantinople). Numbered, titled and credited in the negative; "158, Fontaine dans le Cour de Suléimanie, M. Iranian [sic]". Photo circa 1892. Built by orders of the Sultan Suleyman I (Suleyman the Magnificent) it was finished in 1557 and is the second largest mosque in Istanbul. Because Islamic prayer must be preceeded by ritual purification, mosques have in their entryways or courtyards fountains, or other facilities for washing. In this photo we have a candid view of men involved in various stages of this ritual. Notice the hooks for hanging articles of clothing above the fountains.
