Blue Mosque - Istanbul's Historic Sultan Ahmed Mosque

With its many minarets and beautiful interior tiles, Blue Mosque is one of the highlights of Istanbul for curious travellers. We highly suggest including the Blue Mosque to your list of "places to visit in Istanbul" as it's rich both visually and historically.

Visiting the Blue Mosque: Etiquette and Practical Information

Entry is free, but donations are welcome to support the mosque's upkeep.

The Blue Mosque remains an active place of worship, so it's important for visitors to follow proper etiquette:

• Visiting Hours:

  Tourists are not allowed during prayer times, especially the five daily prayers and Friday noon prayers. It's best to check prayer times in advance.

• Dress Code:

  Women should cover their heads, shoulders, and legs. Men should avoid shorts. Scarves and wrap skirts are often provided at the entrance for those who need them. Do not wear clothes or accessories with flags, religious symbols or big emblems.

  Shoes must be removed before entering the mosque; plastic bags are given to carry them during your visit.

History of The Blue Mosque

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque was commissioned by Sultan Ahmed I when he was just 19 years old. Construction began in 1609 and was completed in 1616, during a time of both internal challenges and external pressure from wars. The Sultan wanted to assert the might of the Ottoman Empire and leave behind a lasting monument of Islamic piety and power.

The chief architect was Sedefkar Mehmed Aga, a student of the legendary Mimar Sinan. Drawing on the traditions of his master, Mehmed Aga created a structure that combined the monumental scale of imperial mosques with the elegance of Islamic geometric and floral design.

The Mosque Complex (Külliye)

Like many imperial mosques of the Ottoman era, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque was built as part of a külliye, or a religious and social complex. These complexes served not just as places of worship but as community centers.

The Blue Mosque's külliye originally included:

• A madrasa (Islamic school)
• A hospital
• A market
• A caravanserai
• A public kitchen (imaret) serving the poor
• A tomb (türbe) of Sultan Ahmed I himself, located within the mosque courtyard

The Famous Blue Tiles and Iznik Ceramics

The mosque earned the nickname “Blue Mosque” from its interior, which is decorated with over 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles, mostly in blue hues. These tiles were produced in Iznik (ancient Nicaea), a town in northwestern Turkey renowned during the 16th and 17th centuries for its high-quality ceramics.

The Iznik tiles feature intricate floral patterns, arabesques, and calligraphy, showcasing some of the finest examples of Ottoman ceramic artistry. The blue coloring, combined with the natural light filtering through more than 200 stained glass windows, creates a serene, ethereal atmosphere inside the prayer hall.

Minarets and the Controversy

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque features six minarets, a number that sparked controversy at the time of its construction. Traditionally, the Great Mosque of Mecca (Masjid al-Haram) was the only mosque allowed to have six minarets.

To resolve the issue and avoid offending religious authorities, Sultan Ahmed I is said to have ordered the construction of a seventh minaret at the Mecca mosque, restoring its religious superiority and ending the controversy.

The Blue Mosque in Modern Culture

The Blue Mosque continues to appear in films, documentaries, and novels. It has been featured in international productions and referenced in travel literature, symbolizing Istanbul's role as a bridge between East and West.

The mosque has also appeared in Dan Brown's novel Inferno and has been a popular filming location for both Turkish and foreign media. Its image is widely used in branding and tourism campaigns, reinforcing its status as a global cultural symbol.