Circle within the Square

(52 mins) The stunning visual legacy of Islam's greatest architect. The genius of Mimar Sinan's classic Ottoman style is illustrated in this profile of his life and work. His magnificent mosques and palaces, bridges and hundreds of public buildings have influenced architecture through the ages. The great 16th century architect Mimar Sinan rose from humble beginnings to become chief architect to the Ottoman ruler Suleyman the Magnificent. This beautiful film traces the development of Sinan's unique Islamic style in the context of his times- and highlights some of the 500 known buildings he designed during his amazing career. The famous domed structure of his masterpiece - the Selimiye Mosque in the Turkish town of Edirne- is recognized throughout the world as the solution to the classic architectural puzzle of the Circle Within the Square.