Sultan Mustafa III (r. 1757–1774), successor of Osman II and a son of Ahmed III, engaged in many building activities during his long reign that perpetuated the Ottoman Baroque style introduced under Mahmud I.

[1] The Ayazma Mosque was his first foundation and was built in honour of his mother, Mihrişah Kadın.

[9] The Ayazma Mosque differs from others mainly in the unique arrangement of its front façade, which consists of a five-arched portico reached by a wide semi-circular staircase.

One detail of the Ayazma Mosque that reflects a popular trend in the 18th century is the presence of several small stone birdhouses carved on the exterior.

Such birdhouses had appeared in the preceding century but in the Baroque period they became more ornate and were commonly attached to the exteriors of both religious and civil buildings.