Istanbul
Sultanahmet Camii (Blue Mosque)
My Blue Heaven
Sultanahmet Square
Hippodrome, Next to Hagia Sophia
Istanbul,
Nearest Train: Sultanahmet
Phone: +90 212 518 1319
Dubbed the "Blue Mosque" by Europeans because of its beautiful interior ceiling tiles (famed Iznik tiles), this is the only mosque in the world with six minarets. Built by Ahmet I between 1609 and 1616, the architect was Sedefkar Mehmet Aga, one of Mimar Sinan's most prominent students. The dome is 23.5 meters wide and 43 meters high. Inside, it's surprisingly small, though very detailed, and the city has installed a lovely wrought iron chandelier at the entrance, which seems to fit right in with the design of the mosque. The shrine near the mosque houses the tombs of Ahmet I and his wife Kosem Sultan. On the east side of the mosque is the Arasta, a bazaar filled with souvenir shops. The Hunkar Mansion at the north side is today's Carpet and Kilim Museum. N.B. The Blue Mosque is a working mosque, so non-worshiping tourists are not permitted to enter during prayer times, which occur 5 times daily for 30 minutes each.
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