Sultan Ahmet Mosque

Back in the years of 1609-1617, the Ottoman emperor, Ahmed I demanded a mosque be built. After a long search, the famous Mehmed Aga accepted the challenge and started planning to make one of the worlds most famous mosque.

About the Mosque

The reason why the mosque is called the "Blue Mosque" by Europeans because it is covered with blue, green and white Iznik tiles and interior. There are also domes inside the mosque that have been carefully hand-painted with a small brush. Sultan Ahmet Mosque became the main mosque of Istanbul when Hagia Sophia was converted from a mosque to a museum in 1935. This complex consists of a mosque, school, an area for the Sultan, bazaar area, shops, bath, fountain, public fountains, tomb, hospital, primary school, almshouse and rented rooms. Although some of these structures are not here today, the work admires those who see it in all its glory. The most important aspect of the building that is architectural and artistic decoration is made from 20,000 Iznik tiles.

Features of the mosque

While the tiles on the lower levels are traditional, the flowers, fruits and cypress patterns of the tiles in the gallery are opulent and magnificent. The most important element in the mosque is the mihrab(altar), made of fine craftmanship and carved marble. The adjacent walls are covered with ceramic tiles, but a large number of windows around it makes it look more magnificent. Another feature of the mosque is that it is designed in such a way that everyone can hear the imam, even when it is most crowded. 

A small fact about the mosque

The Sultan was accused of arrogance because when Sultan Ahmet mosque had seven minarets, at that time, there were only six minarets in the Kaaba in Mecca. The Sultan solved this problem by building the seventh minaret in the mosque (Masjid-i Haram) in Mekke.