New Mosque (Yeni Camii) was the last example of large mosques built in Istanbul by the Ottoman family. The construction of the mosque, which is situated on the Golden Horn in the Eminonu quarter of Istanbul, was started in 1597 and ended in 1665. The mosque's original name, Valide Sultan Mosque, meaning Queen Mother, was named after Sultan Mehmet III's mother, who ordered the mosque to be built when her son ascended to the throne; however, since the construction lasted so long, she did not live to see its completion. As with other imperial mosques in Istanbul, the New Mosque was designed as a külliye, or complex with adjacent structures to service both religious and cultural needs.
Since the construction lasted more than sixty years, the mosque project experienced managerial changes, as well. The original architect was Davut Ağa, an apprentice to the great Mimar Sinan. However, Davut Ağa died in 1599 and was replaced by Dalgıç Ahmet Çavuş.