Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque) is one of the most beautiful mosques not only in Istanbul but also in the whole world. The church was built in the 17th century (1603-1617) by Sedefkar Mehmet Aga (2nd most important architect after Mimar Sinan) on the orders of Sultan Ahmet I.

The name of the church comes from the very beautiful blue interior "Iznik bricks". The Blue Mosque was once the only mosque with six minarets in the world, but now a new mosque named “Camlica Mosque”, built in Camlica Hills on the Asian side of Istanbul in 2019, also built with six towers.

The Blue Mosque was the first mosque of an Ottoman imam, built with subsidies from the Ottoman treasury. It was built on the site of the former Ayse Sultan Palace, as the site was purchased for 30,000 gold coins. Sultan Ahmet I and many other statesmen collaborated in the construction of the mosque. It is also known that Sultan Ahmet I made the first impression during the mosque's groundbreaking ceremony and today, the pickaxe he used is on display in Topkapi Palace.

After the completion of the mosque, it received great criticism from different parts of the community. The main reason for this, is that the mosque has 6 minarets like the Mosque for the Prophet Mohamed in the holy Mecca, creating a competition in people's minds that the house The king thought a little too highly of himself. However, some theories suggest that this whole problem was the result of a misunderstanding between the monarch and his architect. The king is said to have requested altın minare (golden minaret) and the architect understood altı minare (meaning six minarets).

And the second reason was that the amount spent was high despite the decline in the Empire's income. After Sultan Ahmet ordered the construction of the 7th tower at Mecca Mosque, the criticism ceased.

The site of the Blue Mosque was once a large complex consisting of many buildings such as the Medrese (Islamic theological school), the Sultan's pavilion, the Almshouse and the Hamam (Turkish Baths). Most of those buildings no longer exist today.

At the present church, visitors can still see the mausoleum of Sultan Ahmed I and a sundial in the courtyard of the Blue Mosque. The famous Great Palace Mosaic Museum, an impressive museum of mosaics preserved from the Great Palace of Constantinople is also on the site of the complex.

To fully appreciate the mosque's architecture, visitors should approach it from the Hippodrome side of the road instead of going inside the park. At first glance, the green mosque can really be compared to Hagia Sophia. Lots of elegant curves thanks to the ascending system of domes and semi-domes, the huge inner courtyard (as large as the mosque itself) is the largest of all the Ottoman mosques and the six minarets ( more than any mosque in Istanbul) creates a beautiful silhouette, especially at sunset.

Even more amazing are the more than 20,000 handmade Iznik ceramic tiles, in more than 50 tulip designs, decorating the interior walls of the mosque. Their color gives this place its popular name - Blue Mosque. The lower tiles have a traditional design, while in the gallery they feature floral, fruit and cypress patterns. Due to the great demand for facing bricks, the types of bricks used in the later stages of the construction process vary in quality. The brick used on the back balcony wall is recycled brick from the Harem in Topkapi Palace, when it was damaged by fire in 1574.

Lighting inside the mosque is provided by more than 200 stained glass windows and several chandeliers. They put ostrich eggs on the chandelier to scare away spiders, thus avoiding the cobwebs inside the church. The floors are carpeted with donations from faithful Muslims and are regularly replaced as they wear out.

Some important notes when visiting the Blue Mosque:

• First of all, please show respect to those praying in the mosque by not making noise and talking too much about their attire.
• Some areas of the mosque used for prayers are temporarily closed to visitors at noon on Friday, so as not to disturb.
• There will be a number of people around the Blue Mosque and Sultanahmet Square approaching you for a guided tour of the mosque. Don't pay any attention to them, don't look them in the eye and don't talk to beggars and people who come to your side asking for directions or asking for money.

Ticket price: free

Opening hours: daily

Address: Sultan Ahmet Mahallesi, Atmeydanı Cd. No:7, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey

Phone: +90 212 458 44 68