History of Blue Mosque

If a question is asked which is the best mosque built by the Turks, the first mosque that will come to mind will undoubtedly be the "Blue Mosque". The Blue Mosque is also known as Sultan Ahmet in Turkish. The Blue Mosque, one of the most fascinating parts of the Istanbul skyline, is also one of Istanbul’s most important symbols. It is one of the greatest examples of classical Turkish art. This valuable building is one of the most important works presented to Istanbul during the Ottoman Empire period.

Istanbul.com Creator Community

June 1, 2021 • 4 min

The mosque was named Blue Mosque by Europeans. The interior of the mosque, especially the inside of the dome, is decorated with approximately 21 thousand Iznik tiles. Since these tiles are mostly blue in color, they are called the Blue Mosque by foreigners. These tiles depict pictures of trees, flowers and other plants, all of them designed in shades of blue. The breathtaking Iznik tiles decorating the Blue Mosque's domes were included in the UNESCO World Heritage Istanbul List in 1986.

It is located directly opposite the Hagia Sophia Museum, which is one of our most important historical artifacts and is admired by all local and foreign visitors to Istanbul. Sultan Ahmet Square is also named after the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque).

This unique mosque was built by the Ottoman Sultan Ahmet I between 1609 and 1616. The work, which is the most typical example of Turkish Classical Art, is the first mosque originally built with 6 minarets. Architect Sedefkâr Mehmet Aga, the architect of the Mosque, is the student of the famous architect of the Ottoman, Mimar Sinan.

The Architectural Structure of Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque, built in 1616, has eight secondary domes and five main domes. It combines many Byzantine elements with traditional Islamic architecture and is considered the last great mosque of the classical period.

The mosque is built in a rectangular plan and the prayer area, which is in a square plan, consists of a total of 2,646 m2. The diameter of the dome, which has a height of 43 meters, is 23 meters. The mosque, which attracts attention with its size, is one of the most important tourist attractions in Istanbul.

The courtyard of the Blue Mosque is at least as imposing as the interior. The mosque, which has a very large courtyard, is located in a cord made of iron at the western entrance of the courtyard.

Minarets

An important feature of the Blue Mosque is its minarets. The Blue Mosque is one of the two mosques with six minaretsin Turkey, and the latter is Sabanci Mosque in Adana. There are four minarets at the corners of the Blue Mosque. Each of these corrugated, pencil-shaped minarets has three balconies with stalactite domes (Şerefe), the other at the end of the front courtyard has two balconies.

Today, as the sun sets, the mosque is illuminated with colored projectors and large crowds gather around the mosque, consisting of both Turks and tourists, to listen to the evening prayer call emanating from the loudspeaker in the minaret.

Does The Istanbul Tourist Pass cover the visit to The Blue Mosque?

Definitely! Istanbul Tourist Pass grants access to more than 85 attractions, including the fascinating Blue Mosque. While you are visiting these attractions, you can also get information thanks to the guides. Moreover, the Pass helps you save a huge amount of money, up to 75%. Blue Mosque is one of Istanbul’s most iconic spots. If you want to access all of these, all you have to do is buy The Pass.