Suleymaniye (1557 by Mimar Sinan), Sultanahmet (1617) and Selimiye Edirne (1575) are Ottoman dome masterpieces. Mosques feature 5000 m2 carpet floors, wooden pulpits (minber) and lead-clad domes. Applying the NFPA 909 approach, four items stand out: lightning earthing of the lead roof, partial sprinklering that spares the carpets, FM-200 at the minber and LED chandelier retrofits.

Mosque Elements

  • Dome: Lead-clad stone; molten lead can drip inside during a fire
  • Minaret: Lightning-exposed
  • Minber/mihrab: Carved wood
  • Carpet floor: 5000 m2 wool
  • Chandelier: Electrical

NFPA 909 Strategy

  • Passive: Dome compartment
  • Electrical LED: Chandelier retrofit
  • Minber FM-200: Gas suppression
  • Carpet: FR treatment
  • Lead roof: acts as a natural cage but must be earthed through the lightning protection system

Lightning

  • Minaret: 40-70 m tall
  • IEC 62305: Class I
  • Air terminal: Each minaret
  • Lead dome: Natural cage
  • Earthing: below 1 ohm

Crowd Egress

  • Friday prayer: 3000-5000 worshippers
  • Courtyard: Fallback
  • Main door: Outward
  • Women's gallery: Separate egress
  • Crowd control: Imam guidance

Turkey Historic Mosques

  • Suleymaniye 1557: Mimar Sinan
  • Sultanahmet 1617: 6 minarets
  • Selimiye Edirne 1575: 31 m dome
  • Hagia Sophia 537: Converted 1453
  • Yeni Cami: recent restoration

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Sources & Further Reading

NFPA 909, IEC 62305, General Directorate of Foundations (Vakıflar), UNESCO, restoration sources. NFPA 909 Protection of Cultural Resource Properties.