Sultan Ahmet Mosque, which was constructed  by the 14th Ottoman Sultan Ahmet I, who ruled between the years of 1603 - 1617, is the greatest and the most splendid mosque of Istanbul. The construction of the mosque was started in 1609 by architect Mehmet Agha, who was a student of Architect Sinan and who undertook the architectural works of the structure and the construction was completed in I6l6. The premises consisted of a madrasah, a hospital, an Arasta Bazaar, a school, a mausoleum, a caravansary and a public fountain together with the mosque. The hospital and the caravansary were damaged in 19th century.
Sultan Ahmet Mosque is the last impressive structure of Ottoman religious architecture. Although many other mosques were built after this one, none of them reached to the dimension and to the elegance of the decorations of Sultan Ahmet Mosque.
The land preferred for the mosque construction was the old Hippodrome, known as Atmeydani, and was the center of the city since the Byzantine Period. During the preparation of the huge area, many earlier Byzantine and Ottoman structures had to be demolished to open a space for the construction. Among these structures, the Royal Byzantine Palace, remains of the auditorium of the Hippodrome, and palaces of many Ottoman dignitaries can be listed. Its close proximity to the Topkapi Palace was the reason why this area was chosen for the mosque. A very careful selection was made for the construction and decoration material.
The 21.043 tile pieces used for the inner decoration of the mosque were brought from the palace workshops in İznik, the silk carpets on the floor of hundreds of square meters were brought from selected weaving centers, and hundreds of crystal oil lamps used for illumination were imported. It is known that the leading administrators of the state donated many valuable gifts, especially the handwritten Korans after the completion of the mosque.
 
The dimensions of the front courtyard, constructed on a podium arising in the middle of the outer courtyard and the dimensions of the main nave are almost the same size, and it is 72 m. x 64 m. wide. There are five doors for entrance opening into the outer courtyard. Among these doors, there is a chain hanging above the main entrance. According to the legend, the reason why this chain was hung, was to have the sultan, who came to the mosque on his horse, to get off his horse and walk in with respect like anyone else. There are three portals that provide access to the inner courtyard, as you climb up the stairs.

There are taps used for ablutions below the north portico of the front courtyard. Furthemiore, there is a fountain for ablutions in the middle of the courtyard with 6 corners and 6 columns. 30 small size domes are constructed on a total 26 granite columns.
Sultan Ahmet Mosque is the only mosque with 6 minarets in Istanbul and in Turkey, and that make it matchless among other Ottoman Mosques. The minarets placed at the corners of the mosque and the courtyard have a total of 16 balconies. Certain sections of some minarets are embellished with blue tiles. According to the legend about the minarets of the mosque, Sultan Ahmet I asked from the architect, Mehmet Ağa, a mosque with a golden minaret. Because of the turkish pronunciation of gold is dike to number six, architect Mehemet Ağa misunderstood this point, so, the architect preferred a mosque with 6 minarets instead of golden ones, as the cost would be very high. The dimensions of the nave, which is almost square planned, are 51 m. x 53 m. The Architect Mehmet Ağa has no significant innovations in the plan and design of the Ottoman mosques in the Classical Period from the architectural point of view, but the inner decoration of the mosque has the specifications of being eclipsed of the previous Ottoman Mosques. Essentially, the reason why the mosque is known as the 'Blue Mosque' all over the world is because of the tiles and embellishments, which are mostly in blue and green colors on the walls and the domes.

The carpet weaving showed progress in Moslem world, as the namaz is performed on the floor; whereas the carpet works did not improve in Christianity, because the service is followed by the attendants that are seated. Manufacturing tiles is one of the handicrafts that the Turks dealt with since the 12th century. Just like in carpet weaving, in manufacturing tiles, every region has its own design and color differences. The most frequently used designs in the mosques are springs, leaves, calyxes, tulips, roses, hyacinths, carnations, pomegranate flowers and grapes, and geometric patterns to a certain extend.
When you look at the building from the exterior, the structure forms an elegant scene that you never expect from its dimensions.
The main dome, the arches supporting it, all round and angular carrier architectural elements are set up in a complete harmony. All edges and corners, which would not look nice, are rounded, the big carrier elements are softened in a complete sense. The light coming in through the windows placed around the dome, together with the windows covered with stain glass in 5 rows especially through the apse wall, intensifies the beauty of the tiles and decorations. There are total 260 windows in the mosque. The Venetian glasses, which were used in the first construction of the mosque, unfortunately could not stay until today. The diameter of the 43 m. high dome reaches to 23-5 m. The diameter of the giant buttresses called elephant feet, which are carrying this giant dome and the elements surrounding it together with the pendentives, is about 5 m. Under two of these columns, which are nearby the entrance, there are taps for ablutions. The old writings embellishing the walls and columns together with the central dome of the mosque and the conches are the works of an artist named Seyid Kasim Bubari from Diyarbakir and these are various verses of Koran and the substantial sayings of Prophet Mohammed.
Until a recent time, the precious handmade carpets in various colors and design, which completely covered the entire floor of the mosque were unfortunately exchanged with machine made carpets.
The wood benches in the mosque were placed to leave the shoes on, in case there is no place at the outer shelves. The galleries at the three sides of the mosque, except the wall pointing south-east, are for the use of women and religious meetings.
The monumental burial in front of the mosque was built by Sultan Osman
II, son of Sultan Ahmet I, in it there is the grave of Sultan Ahmet I, besides the
graves of Osman II and Murat IV. Moreover, Kosem Mahpeyker Sultan, wife of
Ahmet I and whom was loved so much by him, is also buried at the same place. Other than these, there are thirty two more burials belonging to the royal family members. (s1)

This famous and gorgeous mosque—one of the world's best—was built in just seven years (1609-1616) by the architect Mehmet Aga, who also rebuilt Kaaba (the holiest shrine of Islam—the giant black cube at the center of the mosque in the holy city of Mecca). Locals call it the Sultan Ahmet Mosque for the ruler who financed it (see sidebar), but travelers know it better as the Blue Mosque because of the rich color that dominates the interior.
• Before you head for the mosque itself notice a few other parts of the mosque complex from here. As you face the Blue Mosque, to your right is the madrassa, a school of theology; attached to it, by the side of the road, is the...

Türbe of Sultan Ahmet I

This burial chamber (türbe; tuhr-beh) is the final resting place of Sultan Ahmet I, patron of the Blue Mosque and namesake of this neighborhood. His wife Kösem and his three sons (Osman II, Murat IV, and Prince Beyazıt) are also buried here (free entry, generally open daily 9:30-16:30, enter through gate facing Hagia Sophia).
• Facing the mosque, you have afine view of its...

Six Minarets

Aside from its impressive scale and opulent interior, the Blue Mosque is unique because of its six minarets. According to Muslim tradition, the imam (prayer leader; often called a muezzin) would climb to the top of a minaret five times each day to announce the call to prayer. On hearing this warbling chant, Muslims are to come to the mosque to pray. These days, the imam still performs the call to prayer live, but it's amplified by loudspeakers at the top of the minarets. So the minaret—which once had a practical purpose—is now just symbolic.
A single minaret was adequate for its straightforward function, but mosques financed by sultans often wanted to show off with more. According to a local legend, Sultan Ahmet I asked the architect for a gold (altın) minaret—but the man thought he said "six" (altı). In all likelihood, Sultan Ahmet I actually requested the six minarets to flaunt his wealth. But at the time, the central mosque in the holy city of Mecca also had six. The clergy at Mecca feared that Ahmet's new mosque would upstage theirs—so they built a seventh minaret at Mecca.
• The walkway by the benches leads to the Blue Mosque. Through the gate at the end of the walkway, you enter the mosque's...

Outer Courtyard

Straight ahead, a staircase leads up to the inner courtyard (described below). To the right of the staircase, notice the line of water taps used for ablution—the ritual cleansing of the body before worshipping, as directed by Islamic law. These are comparatively new, installed to replace the older fountain in the inner courtyard. To the left, another set of stairs leads to an entrance into the mosque designated for worshippers (you may exit through this gate when you leave the mosque).
• Now take the stairs up into the...

Inner Courtyard

The courtyard is surrounded by a portico, which provides shade and shelter. The shutters along the back wall open in summer for ventilation. In the center of the courtyard is a fancy fountain, once used for ablutions but no longer functional. When the mosque fills up for special services, worshippers who can't fit inside pray in the large vaulted area in front of the mosque (on your left)—and, if necessary, fill the rest of the courtyard. But today such jam-packed services are rare. Muslims are not required to actually go to the mosque five times each day; they can pray anywhere. The exception is the midday service on Friday, which the Quran dictates should be a time for all worshippers to come together in congregation. For this reason, this and other mosques are crowded on Fridays.
• Now go into the mosque. For instructions and etiquette. The gate that opens onto this courtyard is the main gate, where visitors generally enter. (If this door is closed, you can usually go around to the back door to enter—ask the attendants to make sure.) No matter where you enter, take aplastic bag from the container for your shoes, which you 11 carry with you around the mosque. Take off your shoes just before you step on the carpet. Entering the mosque is free, but you can give a donation as you exit. Before you visit, you may want to read the Understanding Islam chapter.

Interior

Stepping through the heavy leather drape into the interior, you'll understand why this is called the Blue Mosque. Let your eyes adjust to the dim lighting as you breathe in the vast and intensely decorated interior.
Approach the wood railing to take a closer look at the apse (straight ahead from the main gate). The area beyond this barrier is reserved for worshippers, who fill the space at all times of day. The little shin-high wooden shelves are for storing shoes.
On the far wall, look for the highly decorated marble niche with large candles on either side. This is the mihrab (meeh-rahb), which points southeast to Mecca— where all Muslims face when they worship. The surrounding wall is decorated with floral-designed stained-glass windows, many of them original.
On the right side of the apse is a staircase leading up to a platform with a cone on top. This is the mimber (meem-behr), similar to a pulpit in a Christian church. A mimber is symbolic of the growth of Islam—Muhammad had to stand higher and higher to talk to his growing following. It is used by the imam (prayer leader) to deliver a speech on Fridays, similar to a sermon in Christian services. As a sign of respect for Muhammad, the imam stands only halfway up the staircase.
Farther to the right, next to the main pillar, is a fancy marble platform elevated on columns. This is where the choir sings hymns a cappella (mainstream Islam uses no instruments) on important religious days.
Mosque services are segregated: The main hall is reserved for men, while women use the colonnaded area behind the barriers at the back, on both sides of the main entrance. Women can also use the upper galleries on crowded days.
The huge dome—reaching a height of 141 feet and a diameter of 110 feet—is modeled after the one in Hagia Sophia, which was the first building to use pillars to support a giant central dome. As Turkish engineers improved on this concept over the years, they were able to create vast indoor spaces covered by cascading domes. The same fundamentals are used in many contemporary mosques today.
Near the corners of the vast room, notice the giant pillars paved with fluted marble panels. These "elephant feet" support the arches, dome, semi-domes, and cupolas. Since the weight is transferred mainly to these four pillars, thick, bulky walls aren't necessary. Like flying buttresses in a Gothic cathedral, this technique allowed the architect to fill the walls with decorative windows. Compare the Blue Mosque (with its 260 windows) with the gloomy interior of the much older (and bulkier) Hagia Sophia.
The low-hanging chandeliers were designed for oil lamps with floating wicks; now they hold electric bulbs. Years ago, a thick patchwork of handmade rugs covered the floor—these have been removed for preservation, and replaced with the current machine-made carpeting.
Islamic tradition forbids the portrayal of living beings in places of worship, which could distract people from worshipping Allah as the one God. In this and other mosques, instead of paintings of saints and prophets, you'll see geometrical designs and calligraphy. This explains why, historically, the Muslim world excelled at non-figurative art, while artists from Christian Europe focused on painting and sculpture of the human form.
Along with the painted floral and geometric patterns on the walls, ceramic tiles were used extensively to decorate the mosque. Lower parts of the wall—up to the height of the marble application on the giant pillars—are paved with mostly blue, early-17th-century Iznik tiles. Iznik (ancient Nicea) was the Ottoman Empire's center of tile-making, and works from there are prominently featured in many museums around the world .
Artful Arabic calligraphy {hat in Turkish; pronounced "hot") is another form of mosque decoration. To make the words appear more beautiful, the hattat (hot-taht; calligrapher) takes liberties with grammatical rules and often combines letters irregularly, making it difficult to read. Many of the examples of hat around the mosque are examples from the Quran or from the hadith (the collected teachings
of the Prophet Muhammad).
The Blue Mosque represents the pinnacle of Ottoman architecture—and marks the beginning of the empire's decline. After its construction, the treasury was exhausted, and the Ottoman Empire entered a period of stagnation that eventually led to its collapse. Never again could the empire afford a building of such splendor.
Similarly, the mosque's patron, Sultan Ahmet I, was too young and inexperienced to effectively wield his authority and became mired in bureaucracy and tradition. While a few of his successors (including his son, Murat IV) managed to temporarily revive the spark of the good old days, Ahmet I marked the beginning of a long string of incompetent sultans who would eventually rule over an empire known in the early 20th century as the "Sick Man of Europe." (s3)

JavaScript must be enabled in order for you to use Google Maps.
However, it seems JavaScript is either disabled or not supported by your browser.
To view Google Maps, enable JavaScript by changing your browser options, and then try again.