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The Sultanahmet Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque, is an Istanbul landmark that you just can’t miss. There are loads of mosques in Istanbul, but this one beats them all at the minaret game. It has six, which is virtually unheard of in the Islamic world.
With these slender Ottoman-style towers and a series of blue-gray domes, it is an imposing building indeed. In the olden days, the muezzin called the faithful to prayer from high up in the tower, but since the advent of tape recorders and loudspeakers, muezzins have found themselves out of a job.
As you walk up the steps from the huge courtyard, you will be directed to the tourist entrance, which is separate from the one used by local Muslims. Near the door is a large bin full of empty plastic bags. Take one for your shoes. With thousands of tourists traipsing in and out every day, imagine how many shoe mix-ups there must have been when the custom was to just leave them outside.
What I still can’t figure out is where all those blue Iznik tiles are, that supposedly give the mosque its name. Granted, it was darkish inside, with the light coming from stained glassed windows and tiny lights strung up on iron chandeliers that must have once held candles. But blue was not a dominant color as far as I could see.
What caught my eye more were the vast stretches of carpet divided up into rectangles in a pattern that ultimately provided each worshipper with his “own” little prayer rug. My engineer husband, who likes numbers, took a mental measurement and declared each segment 60 x 120 cm. Leave a Comment
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 Blue Mosque by Birsen
The Sultan Ahmet Mosque differs from the other mosques in Istanbul because of its six minarets. The courtyard of the mosque is almost as large as the prayer hall and makes one notice the elegance of the building with 26 granite columns covered by 30 small domes. At the center of the courtyard there is an octagonal sadirvan which serves only as decorative purpose. Leave a Comment
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 Inside Of The Blue Mosque by H-TownJourneyman |
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 Me At The Blue Mosque by H-TownJourneyman |
Six minarets and a roof of ever-enlarging domes overlook and dominate the Istanbul skyline, the legacy of Sultan Ahmet I who commissioned this mosque after overseas military defeats to reinstore faith and specifically to rival the converted church Hagia Sophia. The mosque occupies the site of several pre-existing palaces and was designed by royal architect Sedifhar Mehmet Aga, a pupil of the legendary Sinan. It required seven years to construct (1609-16) with the main prayer area 70 x 80 yards. Much of the planning is similar to earlier works of the great master Sinan. The mosque is directly across from the Hagia Sophia but faces at an angle to allow those praying to directly face Mecca.
The beauty of the famous roof is best appreciated from a distance ( image 1 ) with the slender elegant minarets ( image 2 ) surrounding the multi-domed roof with the largest central dome 25 yards across and almost 50 yard in height. The best views were from the main square passing toward the Hagia Sophia. Tourists enter from the Hippodrome through a narrow gate with an iron chain along the upper part, placed so that even the sultan ( who was the only person allowed to enter on horseback ) had to bow his head before Allah ( image 4 ). The gate allows entrance to a large central courtyard with a small fountain, a recurring vaulted arcade ( image 3 ), and ablution facilities along the walls. From there, the entrance to the mosque is through a more elaborate gateway. The courtyard itself is crowded and contains little of interest. Leave a Comment
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 Sultanahmet Camii by pabertra
Though the exterior of the mosque is not blue it takes its name from the beautiful blue Iznik tiles that adorn the inside. It was built in 1617 and was the Sultan Ahmet's answer to the Aya Sofia.
The structure of the building is fascinating as it has been constructed with an internal framework of bars that enable it to bend to withstand earthquakes. The temperature of the mosque is controlled by an underground pool.
As you enter you will notice some of the tiles bear a floral like pattern. Although plant life is not typically permitted to be depicted in a mosque, this pattern was characteristic of the Ottomans.
One of the most memorable things about the mosque are the huge suspended chandeliers that hold tiny votive candles.
After your neck is thoroughly bent out of shape from staring towards the ceilings, wander outside to the courtyard which holds an ancient sundial used for determining prayer times.
Then visit the small domed structure called Sultanahmet'in Turbesi, which is the tomb of the Sultan and his wife and sons. In the back they claim to display strands of the Prophet Mohammed's beard, but I'll let you be the judge on that one. Leave a Comment Address: In Sultanahmet, you cannot miss it!Directions: Open Tu-Sat. 8:30-12:30 pm 1:45-3:45 pm and 5:30-6:30 pm Tomb open Tu-Sun. 9:30-4:30 pm
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 by MalenaN
Sultan Ahmet I had the mosque built in the beginning of the 17th century (1609 - 1616) and the architect Mehmet Aga constructed a mosque of great harmony and elegance. It has a typical Ottoman design.
There are benches in front of the mosque and it's nice to sit down, just to admire the view. Leave a Comment
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I was told by my friend who has been to Istanbul to visit the Blue Mosque also known as Sultan Ahmet Camii.
The Blue Mosque is Istanbul's most famous landmark and it is the only mosque in Turkey with six minarets. It is located opposite the splendid Hagia Sophia in Sultanahmet Square of the old Istanbul.
The first time I saw the mosque, my first impression was this must be the biggest mosque on earth. The six minarets, the numbers of domes and semi domes continually catches my eyes, it look impressive. There are fountain in the courtyard. The fountain is use by the Muslims to wash themselves before entering the mosque to pray.
The interior it has many chandeliers and is covered by blue Iznik ceramic tiles, thus giving the name Blue Mosque. There are over 200 stain glass windows to let the sun in. The floor is all carpeted with prayer rugs. The Blue mosque is a working mosque. Every Friday the Muslims will come to the mosque to pray. The floor will hold about 10,000 devotees. The visitor must remove their shoes and the women must wear the hijab before entering the mosque.
Sultan Ahmet the First ordered the construction of the Blue Mosque in 1609 to out do the splendid Hagia Sophia. He wanted to show that the Ottoman can produce as good if not better than the Christian culture. To compete with the competitor Sedefkar Mehmet Aya the architect built six minarets and designed the perfect proportion of domes and semi domes. The stone masons who construct Taj Mahal were also used to build the Blue Mosque. It was completed in 1616. Address: Sultanahmet Square in the old IstanbulDirections: Opposite Hagia Sophia
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The massive interior of the Sultan Ahmet Camii is dominated by the huge pillars supporting the domed roof, the exquisite blue tiles after which the mosque is named, and innumerable stained glass windows flooding the central area with light ( and making photography difficult in the morning hours - the pulpit and carved marble mihrab images simply did not work ). Each of the domes contains between 12 and 24 windows as well. These windows originally were of 17th C Venetian glass, but no longer. Chandeliers add to the overall light feeliing of the great room, contrasting with the dark rooms of the Ayasofia. Even the huge mobs of tourists could not detract from the beauty of this prayer room.
The mosque is named for the blue coloring in over 20000 handmade ceramic Iznik tiles featuring over 50 tulip designs as well as abstract patterns, trees, and other flowers. Ottoman emperors, like many European rulers, favored Chinese porcelain for collection, so cities like Iznik imitated these works. Unable to create porcelain, their potteries and tiles were comprised mostly of silica with some glass and clay. The Iznik designers were more innovative than others and became the favorites of the sultans, with their tiles finding their way into many palaces and mosques commissioned by Suleyman, his wife Roxelana, and by the grand vizier Rustem Pasa ( who commissioned my favorite mosque - see tip below ) including the Topkapi Palace. Originally the source of many kinds of decorative pottery, Iznik eventually devoted itself almost entirely to making tiles for the sultans and viziers. As the Ottoman Empire declined, the sultans fixed prices for the tiles in a weak economy, and the quality of the tiles and other decorative pieces deteriorated after the 17th Century.
Iznik is an old city - its name derives from Nikaia, the wife of Lysimakhos, who ruled Anatolia after the death of Alexander the Great. Leave a Comment
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The Blue Mosque is perhaps one of the greatest works of architecture in the world. It is undoubtedly Istanbul’s most recognized symbol. I walked past it each day when I was in Istanbul and there was not a single moment when I didn’t marvel at its splendor.
It was built for Sultan Ahmet I in 1617, across from Hagia Sophia. Its hilltop location and its proximity to the water make it visible from miles away. At night, floodlights add to the mosque’s charm. Although it is technically named the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, it is known to most tourists as the Blue Mosque because of its blue interior tiles.
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