Blue Mosque. Blue Mosque of Sultanahmet in Istanbul or how we met a real sheikh! When was the Blue Mosque built?

For a long time, the Hagia Sophia was considered the most grandiose religious building in Istanbul. Until in the 17th century, Sultan Ahmed ordered the construction of a mosque that would not be inferior to the monumental Christian structure.

The mosque can be seen from anywhere in Istanbul; it is so majestic and extraordinary in its beauty and technique that it is simply impossible not to notice this attraction.

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History: who built the Blue Mosque?

Its history began in difficult times, when the Ottoman Empire suffered one defeat after another, and the economy was not doing well. That's why Sultan Ahmed ordered the construction of a majestic mosque in order to appease Allah. As a result, she received the name Sultanahmet.

The bright tall building, which can be seen even from the farthest corner of Istanbul, is worth your attention, because decisive historical events took place within the walls of this tower.

Construction began in 1609 - Sultan Ahmed was only 19 years old at that time, and took 7 years. The mosque was designed by Sedefkar Mehmed Agha, a student of the famous architect Sinan. The Sultan himself, unfortunately, lived only a year after the completion of construction, not reaching the age of 27, but managed, however, to admire the work of his hands. Local residents can tell you the story of who built the Blue Mosque in Istanbul in more detail; you can also familiarize yourself with the history of Constantinople (Istanbul).

Description of the Blue Mosque of Istanbul

Today, the Sultanahmet Mosque in Istanbul is one of the main historical attractions of the city. It was built according to the principle and is one of the majestic buildings of Istanbul.

Despite its impressive dimensions (64 by 72 meters), it creates a feeling of airiness and lightness. The domes are arranged as if in a cascade, this creates the impression of lightness and smoothness of the structure.

Initially, it was an entire architectural complex, which consisted of a mosque, a hospital, a bathhouse, a caravanserai, a market, primary and secondary schools, and a seminary. The hospital and caravanserai have not survived to this day, but we can see the rest of the buildings almost in the same form as they were before.

It received its name because of the blue tiles used in the decoration of the mosque, made in Iznik (for 7 years, the factory in Iznik produced tiles only for this construction, terminating supply contracts with other buyers).

These unique tiles line the interior walls and high ceilings. More than 20,000 white and blue tiles were used for interior decoration.

Valuable types of marble and expensive stones were also used during construction. The Mahrib (special niche for prayers) is carved from a single piece of white marble.

The architect Mehmed Agha, nicknamed the “jeweler,” paid attention not only to the decorative decoration of the premises, but also to engineering precision, thanks to which the building stood firmly on the ground and was not damaged during the Istanbul earthquakes. The minbar (raise, pulpit for reading prayers) is also made of a piece of white marble and covered with elaborate carvings.

One of the features is that it has as many as 6 minarets instead of the required 4 according to the rules. Perhaps this was a construction error due to an incorrect interpretation: instead of the “golden” minaret (altyn), “six” (alty) were built, and then a big scandal broke out.

The fact is that only one mosque in the world had the largest number of minarets - namely five - Al-Haram, the main one located in Mecca. To settle the matter peacefully, Sultan Ahmed sent his personal architect to Mecca to build the sixth and seventh minarets, and thus the main mosque retained its superiority.

In front of the building is a large courtyard surrounded by 26 columns. In the very center of the courtyard there is a traditional fountain for ablutions (ablutions must be performed before prayer). There, on the eastern side, there is a madrasah (religious school).

The interior decoration amazes with its richness and splendor. It can also be called multi-colored - not only blue and white colors are used in the design, but a lot of gold painting and red and black ligature on the walls.

The room is illuminated by light coming from 260 windows. Previously, the windows had Venetian glass and stained glass, which created colorful reflections on the floor and walls. Now these are the most ordinary glasses.

On the walls are hanging sayings from the Koran, written in traditional calligraphy (done by Qasim Gubari). In the summer, historical shows (in Turkish, French and English) are held here, which tell about the heroic pages of Turkish history. Istanbul is very rich in various... And each of them is unique and worthy of admiration.

It is so huge that you will need to spend a whole day to see all the hidden corners of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. The photos in our selection will show the most striking places.

Contacts and location

Address: Sultan Ahmet Mh., Torun Sokak, 19

Working hours: from 9.00 to 18.00 hours (closing time is at sunset). During prayer times (5 times a day) it is closed to tourists. Admission is free (tourists enter from the north side).

You can get to this place from any area of the city. You can focus on Sultanahmet Square, this is where all the necessary public transport stops are located. Get acquainted with the streets of the city by clicking on. Find out how and where you can rent a car.

Buses (route T4) or high-speed trams TR1 go here. You should get off at the Sultanahmet stop.

From the Sisli area, you can first take the metro to Taksim station, and then transfer to the high-speed tram going to Sultanahmet Square. If you get to the attraction from, then first take the Havalimani - Aksaray metro (red line) to get to the Zeytinburnu station, and then at this station change to the TR 1 high-speed tram line, which goes straight to Sultanahmet Square (the stop is called that), where and is located in Ahmediye. So now you know where the Blue Mosque of Istanbul is.

As in any other religious institution, certain rules must be followed in the mosque.

The most majestic of the mosques was and remains the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, the history and indescribable beauty of Ahmediye make it one of the brightest attractions of the city, where thousands of tourists come every year to admire the heritage of Ottoman culture. We also recommend visiting

The Sultanahmet Camii Mosque is one of the most magnificent architectural monuments of Istanbul in terms of beauty and grandeur. The young ruler of the Ottomans, Sultan Ahmet, ordered the construction of this true work of art. Later, residents of European countries gave the religious shrine a different name - the Blue Mosque, which firmly attached itself to it and today is on everyone’s lips even more than the original name.

The main reason for the construction of the mosque was the weakening of the Ottoman Empire, which flourished under the rule of Suleiman the Great. The noble ruler died, and troubles befell the state. First, the Turks became losers in the war with Austria, and in parallel with it there were other military actions - battles for power with Iran. The Ottomans were greatly weakened and lost their former power. Troubled times have come to the country.

Sultanahmet Mosque in Istanbul

Sultan Ahmet no longer knew how to protect his Empire and restore its strength and fortitude. His last desperate step was an appeal to the powers of heaven. The ruler trusted in the help of Allah and decided to atone for all his sins. In the Muslim world, everyone knows: building a mosque is the best way of dialogue with the Almighty. A person, having performed such a good deed, will earn the favor of Allah until the end of his days.

To build a mosque that would be worthy of God himself, the Sultan called one of the greatest architects of those times, Sedefkar Mahmet Aga, as his assistant. This talented architect was once a student of the notorious Haji Sinan in the Turkish state.

The best place to build a mosque was considered to be the territory on which one of the palaces of the Byzantine emperors had previously been built. The square on the opposite side of the Hagia Sophia was completely cleared: not a trace remained of the Byzantine palace architecture with many magnificent buildings.

Now it is impossible to say what goal the Sultan pursued more: to please Allah or to surpass all the masterpiece works of architects available at that time, including those of Constantinople, but he certainly succeeded in the latter.

Blue Mosque

It should be noted that the ruler sincerely believed in the mercy of the Almighty. He even took the money for the construction of the mosque not from the general treasury, as was usually done, but allocated it from his own treasures. Although perhaps this was done for a different reason: as a rule, new construction in the Empire began after another victory over the enemy. The Turks brought trophies and money from the battlefield, which they then invested in the improvement of the state. But the fact is that during his reign, Sultan Ahmet did not become a winner in any of the wars, so perhaps he decided that it would be right to do good deeds with his personal funds.

The Sultanahmet Mosque was built over seven long years. Design began in 1609, and the mosque opened its doors to believers only in 1616.

Another interesting fact: the young Sultan himself was able to admire his masterpiece only 1 year after completion of construction. When the ruler turned 27 years old, he fell ill with typhus and, unfortunately, died. The place of his burial was the large garden next to the mosque.

Architecture of the Blue Mosque

The architectural style of the Blue Mosque combines two notable construction trends of ancient times: Byzantine and classical Ottoman. At first glance at the religious monastery, it seems that it is a mirror image of the great Hagia Sophia. Of course, Sultanahmet looks a little more modern, has softer features, but the cascading arrangement of domes and proportions are very reminiscent of St. Sophia Cathedral.

Sultanahmet Mosque

To find significant differences, you need to pay attention to the details. The architectural style of the mosque fully conveys the spirit of that era, which is reflected in the materials chosen for construction, the interior and exterior of the monumental structure.

The construction is based on a rectangular foundation with a side length of 72 meters and a width of 64 meters. Using simple mathematical calculations, it can be determined that the total area of the architectural ensemble is 4608 square meters! And these are just the dimensions of the structure itself. The common area also includes a courtyard, the size of a mosque.

Such a huge space is not just a whim of the Sultan and a desire to demonstrate greatness. The surrounding territory was also developed and used for noble purposes. Several charitable institutions, madrassas, hospital wards, kitchens, a caravanserai and a number of other buildings of this type were erected here. True, the lion's share of the complex was destroyed in the 19th century. Only the madrasah has been preserved to this day. But it is worth noting that this school, located in the eastern wing, is still used for its intended purpose today.

The Legend of the Six Minarets

To understand the roots of this legend, you need to know some features of Ottoman architecture. In religious buildings of those times, the maximum number of minarets that were supposed to be erected could not exceed four. However, the Blue Mosque is famous for its six minarets. Such a departure from the canons immediately acquired many legends. According to one of them, the architect Mehmet Aga simply did not hear the Sultan’s words, and a mistake occurred. Akhmet said the phrase “Altyn Minare”, which translated into Russian means “golden minarets”, and the architect, due to his own inattention or hearing loss, heard only “Alty Minare”, which is translated as “six minarets”, which was the reason such arrangement of the mosque.

Main hall of the Sultanahmet Mosque in Istanbul

Of course, this is only a legend, and it is not supported by anything. In addition, the Ottoman ruler personally supervised the construction process of his “brainchild,” visiting the construction site once a week, on Fridays. And he would certainly have noticed the mistake if there had been one. So the other version seems more plausible. And its essence lies in the fact that the Sultan simply dreamed of building a structure that would surpass in grandeur all previously known mosques, including Hagia Sophia with its four minarets. Therefore, he decided to deviate a little from religious rules.

After the completion of construction, the Sultan was condemned by the imams, and he was accused of pride. The fact is that the main religious monastery of Muslims, the Forbidden Mosque in Mecca, also had six minarets at that time. But that’s why she is Forbidden, because imitating and copying her was strictly prohibited. Sultan Ahmet acted quite wisely: he left all the minarets of his newly built mosque intact, and in order not to be considered daring and capricious, he decided to pay for the construction of the seventh minaret for the Forbidden Mosque.

Thus, the conflict situation came to naught, and today the Sultanahmet Mosque delights guests and residents of the city with the elegance and luxury of all six minarets. Their location is also unusual: the first four turrets stand, as expected, in the corners of the building. Each of them is decorated with 3 balconies. But the other two are located further away, at the end of the square. They are equipped with only two balconies.

In terms of height parameters, all minarets are identical: each of them stretches up as much as 64 meters.

Interior of the Blue Mosque

Lighting in the Blue Mosque

Entering the Sultanahmet Mosque, you find yourself in a huge space, the splendor of which is mesmerizing. There is special lighting here. It seems that at first glance it seems that the light is dim and muffled. But at the same time, it is enough for the unique tiles decorating the space to “play” with full colors. The impression is indescribable!

The architect managed to achieve this effect with the help of a large number of windows covered with stained glass. That is, the interior of the mosque is illuminated zonally, subject-wise - somewhere stronger, somewhere softer. Therefore, the illusion of volume is created.

Imagine a picture: fifty burning candles are placed around a dark room without central lighting, and each of them illuminates one object. This is exactly the impression that visitors to the Blue Mosque get.

A central light is also provided in the religious monastery. A candle chandelier with a huge diameter is located directly under the dome, whose height is 43 meters and its circumference is 23.5 meters. It is held in place by huge chains that are lowered so low that from certain angles it seems as if the chandelier is practically lying on the floor.

The flooring is a chic soft garnet-colored carpet, painted with traditional floral patterns.

Dome of the Blue Mosque

The main hall of the mosque, with an area of 2,646 square meters, can simultaneously accommodate 35 thousand people.

The central dome is supported by 5 equal columns, each with a diameter of 5 m.

Particularly noteworthy is the number of window openings: there are as many as 260 of them in the Sultanahmet Mosque. Many of the windows act as a frame for the central dome, so it seems like it is floating in the air.

Everyone should see the Blue Mosque at least once in their life. This architectural masterpiece will forever remain in the memory of those who were lucky enough to enjoy its beauty and grandeur!

Opening hours of the Blue Mosque

Entrance to the Sultanahmet Mosque is free.

Opening time / Closing time

On Friday the mosque opens at 14:30

Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque) on the map.

It was here that Constantinople was founded, and now the main attractions of the Turkish capital are located.
The bustling and spacious Sultanahmet Square is always filled with tourists and street vendors. It can be called the starting point for many routes and walks, as well as the concentration of important cultural and historical sites.
Cathedral Hagia Sophia (AY Sofia) and are located opposite each other, a little further is the Topkapi Palace, and on the other side of the square lies the Basilica Cistern underground.
Once upon a time, most of the area was occupied by the ancient Roman hippodrome. Now almost all of it is underground, and it is impossible to see it, except for individual fragments.
Construction of the hippodrome began at the end of the 2nd century, and ended in the 4th century under Constantine the Great in the 4th century.
The huge and magnificent building attracted 100 thousand spectators and competed with the Roman circus. The dividing line was decorated with monuments brought from all over the world.
The Hippodrome played an important role during the Roman Empire, but lost its importance under the Byzantines. In 1204, the crusaders stormed Constantinople and destroyed the hippodrome. The bronze quadriga was taken to Venice, where it was used to decorate St. Mark's Cathedral.
In 1453, the Ottomans found ruins on the site of the hippodrome, but this was the center of the city, so development began, residential buildings grew, and later the Blue Mosque. At the same time, the soil level rose, leaving the ancient hippodrome under a layer of earth.

Saint Sophie Cathedral

Hagia Sophia (Aya Sophia) was the largest Byzantine temple in the Christian world (before the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome).

The first temple on this site was erected in 360 under Emperor Constantine, calling it the “Big Church”
But in 404, the cathedral was destroyed during fires set by rioters due to the execution of Bishop John Chrysostom.
In 405, construction began on a new temple, which lasted 11 years.
But the new church was also burned during the Nika uprising, along with the imperial palace and neighboring buildings in 532.
Emperor Justinian suppressed the Nika rebellion and rebuilt Hagia Sophia in the form in which the temple has survived to this day.
Hagia Sophia built by the best architects of the time, among them Isidore of Miletus and Anthemia of Tralles. Construction began in 532 and was completed 5 years later. The marble for the basilica was brought from Anatolia and Mediterranean cities.
After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, Sultan Fatih Mehmed the Conqueror converted the temple into a mosque, adding a minaret. The frescoes and mosaics were covered with plaster, curtains and wood paneling.
In the mid-16th century, the architect Sinan strengthened the support of the main building and added Islamic elements.
After the founding of the Turkish Republic, restoration work began, and in 1935, on the instructions of Ataturk, the temple was opened as a museum.
The length is 100 meters, the width reaches 70 meters. The basilica is crowned with a gigantic dome system. The dome, 55.6 m high, is considered one of the most perfect in Turkey and is among the top five tallest domes in the world.
The magnificent mosaics of Hagia Sophia date back to the mid-9th - late 10th centuries.

At the entrance to the building, at a depth of 2 meters, you can see the steps that served as the monumental entrance to the second church, columns, capitals and friezes.

Impressive and majestic Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) is the main work of classical Turkish-Islamic architecture.

Construction of the mosque began in 1609 by order of the 19-year-old Sultan Ahmed I. The architect was Mehmed Agha, a student of the great Sinan. It took seven years to build.
It got its name thanks to the interior, which is decorated with blue tiles. These blue tiles are an expensive piece of art that will take your breath away.

What is unusual is that in Blue Mosque Six minarets were built: four, as usual, are located on the sides, and two smaller ones are located on the outer corners of the courtyard. Legend says that the Sultan ordered the construction of a mosque with golden minarets (“altyn” in Turkish), but the architect, knowing that this was impossible, pretended that he had not heard and built six "alty" minarets.
is the largest in area in Istanbul.

Entrance to the mosque is free, but be prepared for a long line.
When entering, you should take off your shoes and women should cover their heads with a headscarf.

Behind the mosque there is a picturesque Arasta market, where you can buy Turkish souvenirs, carpets, stones, jewelry. The market is a favorite place for tourists, the prices here are quite high, but the covered rows are suitable for pleasant walks.

Arasta market.

It is worth looking into the Meșala cafe at the beginning of the market; the guidebook will say that this is a tourist place, but here you can relax after long walks, smoke a hookah, and in the evening listen to live music or watch a dervish performance.

Visitors to the Arasta market.

Be sure to order Turkish tea (“tea” in Turkish is pronounced “tea”), dark and strong, it is served in tulip-shaped glass cups.

Or coffee brewed in a Turk, with added sugar and coffee grounds, taking up a good half of the cup.
More unusual things worth trying muhallebi- a traditional Turkish drink, milk jelly made with rice flour.
Or salep– a hot drink made from powdered orchid (salepa) with the addition of milk or water, sugar and spices.

Salep seller

Back at Sultanahmet Square, look for an ice cream stand. Turkish ice cream – dondurma– thick and elastic, it is made from salep – dried orchid tubers.

Don't go past the Turkish bagel, generously sprinkled with sesame seeds. He is called simit and they sell it at every turn. It’s amazing why the Turks love him so much!

The green dome attracts attention German fountain. It was built in Germany and shipped to Istanbul parts along the Danube River. It was assembled at this place in 1901. The fountain, decorated with golden mosaics, was a gift from the Chancellor of the German Empire, Wilhelm II, for Abdul Hamid during his visit to Istanbul. At that time, Germany and Türkiye were on close friendly relations.
The fountain is unusual in that its shape is more reminiscent of religious fountains than urban ones.

German fountain.

Heading towards the Topkani Palace, next to the Sultan's Gate one cannot help but notice the magnificent monumental Ahmed III fountain, which is a prime example of Turkish and Ottoman Rococo architecture. The fountain was built by Ahmed Agha, the chief architect of the court in the 18th century.

Fountain of Ahmed III.

The next attraction of Sultanahamet is Topkapi Palace- the ancient residence of the Ottoman sultans. The huge palace complex is amazing with its rich collection.
Topkapi Palace was built in 1465 during the reign of Mehmed the Conqueror. The palace was abandoned in 1853 due to the fact that it was difficult to heat. The Sultan's residence moved to Dolmabahce Palace.
Topkapi Palace- the largest and most ancient of all the imperial palaces that have survived to this day. Its original area was 700 thousand square meters. It housed not only the residence of the Sultan with a harem, but also the administrative headquarters of the Ottoman Empire.

Entering the palace through the Sultan's Gate, we find ourselves in the first courtyard. The guards, royal treasury, arsenal and warehouses were located here.
To the left of the entrance is Church of St. Irene, or "Sacred World" is the first known Byzantine church, built by Constantine in 330. The church is closed to the public and can only be visited on a special excursion.

From the first courtyard we move to the middle one. On the right side were the Sultan's kitchens, where about 100 cooks worked. Now silver utensils and dishes are displayed here.

Tower of Justice. Topkapi Palace.

Left – harem, a completely separate story of Topkapi Palace. Harem means a forbidden place. Outsiders were not allowed here, especially men. The Topkapi Palace harem complex consists of 400 rooms, these are living rooms, kitchens, toilets, hospitals, bathrooms, connected to each other by passages and corridors, forming a labyrinth.
The largest room belonged to the Sultan's mother (Valida Sultan). The wives who gave birth to the Sultan’s son lived in slightly smaller rooms.
Once upon a time, thousands of people lived here, more than half were women, as well as their children and eunuchs.

Many of the rooms and chambers were designed by the Ottoman Michelangelo architect Sinan. The harem was decorated in an Ottoman style based on the Italian Baroque.

Topkapi Palace.

After the harem we will go to the third courtyard. Here are the palace pavilions and other luxurious halls - a library, reception halls, etc. In 1536, 580 craftsmen worked in the palace: jewelers, engravers, gold minters, seamstresses, amber craftsmen and others. Examples of their work are presented not only in the museum; passages, walls, furniture, ceilings and floors are decorated with their inlays and mosaics.
The treasury of the palace is magnificent, where unique jewelry and jewelry are stored. Among them, the most famous is the Qashiqchi diamond of 86 carats, i.e. approximately the size of a palm. It is considered one of the largest diamonds in the world. The legend tells of a poor man who found a diamond on the street and exchanged it for three spoons. “Kashikci” means spoon in Turkish. And also a golden throne weighing 250 kg.

Topkapi Palace.

An important attraction of Sultanahmet is the Basilica Cistern, which is an ancient underground reservoir.
Since its founding, Istanbul did not have its own water resources, so the supply took place through aqueducts, through which water flowed to the city, where it was collected in reservoirs. The most famous aqueduct that has survived to this day is the Valens or Bozdugan aqueduct.
During Byzantine times there were many cisterns for collecting water, but the largest and most famous was Basilica Cistern. It is said that it supplied water to the imperial palace.
was built in 532 under Emperor Justinian.
But after the collapse of the Byzantine Empire, it was abandoned because the Turks preferred to use running water. Years later, local residents discovered that under their houses there was a huge reservoir of fresh water, which they could drink, as well as replenish their household supplies of fish, which were abundant in the underground reservoir.
The Turks call the cistern the “flooded palace.” Indeed, the underground structure amazes with its scope and grandeur of size.
The area of the cistern is more than 9 thousand square meters, but only a small part is open to tourist visits.
The dark room is illuminated with a dim red light, 336 Corinthian and Ionian columns are reflected in the water, the sound of falling drops creates a mystical atmosphere.

Of all the columns, two stand out - their lower parts are decorated with the inverted heads of the mythical Medusas. Thus, Emperor Justinian showed that the pagan gods are not able to help even themselves.

The Basilica Cistern was the largest Roman reservoir in the city. If the aqueduct broke down, it could supply water for several months. Currently, the cistern is 8 meters below ground level, but houses built above the reservoir are not in danger. The fact is that Istanbul is located on seven hills, and similar structures were built in natural depressions created by the terrain, strengthening them with columns and arches. It remains to look into Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, which is called the small Hagia Sophia.
This is one of the oldest churches in Istanbul, built from 1527 to 565. It was erected next to the house of Emperor Justinian, where he spent his youth. The church, founded several years earlier than the Hagia Sophia, served as its prototype.
After the fall of Constantinople, the church continued to operate, but in 1506 the church was partially destroyed and converted into a mosque. In 1762, a minaret was added.

Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus.

There are many restaurants with Turkish cuisine open in Sultanahmet, since their prices do not fluctuate much, you can choose any one to suit your taste.
Several restaurants have an outdoor panoramic rooftop terrace that offers breathtaking views.

And is one of the symbols Istanbul. Blue Mosque It is also a true masterpiece of Islamic architecture and therefore every day you can see a lot of visitors from different countries of the world.

History of the Blue Mosque

Blue Mosque was built in 1609-1616 opposite, in the southeast of the former Hippodrome, by the architect Sedefkar Mehmet Agha. Sedefkar Mehmet Agha, who was a student and chief assistant of the architect Sinan (architect of the Suleiman the Magnificent Mosque), wanted to surpass his teacher in construction. In order to build the mosque, not only buildings from the Byzantine period were destroyed, but also many early Ottoman buildings.

Blue Mosque built by order of Sultan Ahmed I, as a result of which it was named after him Ahmedie or Sultanahmet. Later the mosque was named by Europeans Blue Mosque, because in its decoration tiles from Iznik ceramics were used, painted with blue and white paints, and the interior of the semi-domes and the large dome of the mosque was also decorated with blue patterns. Thanks to the combination of these details and the light that falls from 260 windows, the interior of the mosque truly appears blue. The central dome of the mosque has a height of 43 m and a diameter of 23.5 m and is supported by four powerful columns with a five-meter diameter.

Minarets of the Blue Mosque

An interesting fact is that in Blue Mosque the number of minarets is six: four are on the sides, equipped with three balconies (sherefe), and two slightly less tall minarets are on the outer corners of the courtyard, equipped with two balconies. Typically mosques have from 1 to 4 minarets.

Legend has it that according to the order of the Sultan, the architect was supposed to build a mosque with golden minarets, but he misunderstood the order (in Turkish “altyn” is gold/golden, and “alty” is six). At that time, only one mosque in the world: Mosque al-Haram (the Forbidden Mosque in Mecca in which the Kaaba is located) had six minarets and when Blue Mosque Six minarets were also built, and a loud scandal broke out, because not a single mosque in the world should be equal to the Kaaba. Sultan Ahmed solved this problem by ordering the construction of a seventh minaret in Mecca (in the Mosque al-Haram).

Blue mosque – hotels near

Rules for visiting and opening hours of the Blue Mosque

Login Blue Mosque free as in every mosque in Turkey, but if you wish, you can leave donations when you leave. The time spent in the mosque is limited to the beginning of the next prayer. When entering a mosque, it is customary to take off your shoes, so when entering the inside of the mosque there are special shelves for shoes, but it is better to take free disposable bags and carry your shoes with you, as most tourists do. Women must wear a headscarf and cover their shoulders and legs. There are also scarves and skirts at the entrance, you can take them for free and leave them when you leave.

Photos of the Blue Mosque

The diameter of the central dome of the Blue Mosque is 23.5 meters
The exquisite interior of the Blue Mosque amazes with its special radiance

View of the Blue Mosque.

Why is the Blue Mosque interesting?

The Blue Mosque, or Sultanahmet, is located in the main historical square, opposite the cathedral. Both names are not accidental. Most tourists who have seen the complex from the outside are perplexed. Why Blue if it looks grey? To understand this, you need to be inside. The halls are decorated with 20,000 white and blue ceramic tiles.

The second name is given in honor of Ahmed I. He could not win the wars with Persia and Hungary. A series of popular and military uprisings continued in the country. To leave a mark on history, the young ruler gave the order to begin grandiose construction. And he did it on time. A year after the completion of the work, the Turkish ruler died.

View of the mosque from the Bosphorus.

Why else does this place attract tourists? First of all, grandeur. The building can accommodate almost 10 thousand people. The height of the dome is 43 m. And the diameter is 23. It is not surprising that here everyone feels the greatness of higher powers and their own insignificance. Another feature is the minarets of the Blue Mosque. There are 6 of them. A carpet museum is now open in one of them.

An outstanding example of Byzantine and Islamic architecture was built by Sedefkar Mehmet Agha. A student of one of the most prominent architects of the Ottoman Empire, who decided to outshine his mentor. The builders used tons of granite and sandstone. The walls are decorated with unique ceramics and ornaments.

Everyone should visit this place. Even people far from religion. After all, this is a real work of art. A majestic structure that will take your breath away.

Blue Mosque in detail.

Photographer exumo

Story

The history of the Blue Mosque began in 1609 due to a combination of not the most favorable circumstances. A series of defeats in major wars and unrest in the state led to the undermining of Turkey's international authority. Moreover, over the past 40 years, not a single ruler has built such structures in the city. In order to appease Allah and perpetuate his name, Ahmed ordered the construction of a building that was grandiose in its design and decoration.

The choice of the location where the Blue Mosque is located was taken seriously. They decided to build the building opposite the Hagia Sophia. Firstly, to surpass the splendor of the temple. Secondly, due to its proximity to . This place also had symbolic meaning. The complex, built on the ruins of the hippodrome and the imperial palace, towers over the city from the south, reminiscent of the greatness of Turkey.

More than 1,500 people were involved in the work. And they were led by the assistant of the great Sinan, who built Suleymaniye and Shehzade. A detailed description of the seven-year construction is immortalized in 6 volumes of manuscripts, which are now kept in Topkapi. To decorate the inside of the Blue Mosque they used:

about 20 thousand tiles;
handmade silk carpets;
hundreds of lamps;
Venetian glass;
a single piece of marble for the mihrab.

The most famous masters were convened to decorate the halls. They decorated the walls with roses and tulips and floral ornaments. The dome is filled with suras and sayings of the prophets.

All work was completed in 1617. A year later, Ahmed I died. He himself, his wife and several other family members were buried in the mausoleum.

Sultanahmet inside and outside

Sultanahmet was supposed to eclipse all existing buildings in the former Constantinople. It was conceived as a place for prayer and a socially significant object, including:

internal and external courtyards;
madrasah;
charitable institutions;
caravanserai and hospital.

The latter were destroyed in the 19th century.

You can enter the courtyard through 6 gates. Three of them open from the square near the Blue Mosque. The rest are from the northeastern part. The front doors lead inside. But only Muslims can enter them. Tourists enter from the south. On the western side there is an entrance with a chain hanging very low. It was built specifically for the Sultan. Every time he bent down, he showed his insignificance before God.

Courtyard of the Sultanahmet Mosque.

Photographer LWYang

The central dome is supported by 5 columns in the shape of an elephant's foot. The diameter of each is 5 m. A black stone specially brought from Mecca is installed in the mihrab. That is why believers begin their pilgrimage to the holy city for Muslims from here.

The space is illuminated through 260 windows. Modern stained glass windows have become a replacement for glass from Venice. Not far from the entrance there are 9 fountains for ablution before prayer. As elsewhere, there are separate prayer halls for men and women. The main part is open to men, and not only Muslims. No one is allowed into the women's quarters.

Inside you can admire the magnificent paintings of the walls and dome. See the model of the house of the Prophet Muhammad. At the exit from the mosque, everyone can leave a donation.

Legends and facts

There are several interesting stories associated with the Blue Mosque of Ahmed I in Turkey. One of them explains why there are 6 minarets. It is believed that the architect made a mistake. He simply misunderstood his master. He wanted to build towers made of pure gold “Altyn”. Sedefkar heard “alty” - six.

This misunderstanding almost caused a major scandal. After all, only Masjid al-Haram had such a number of minarets. It turned out that the symbol of Ahmed’s greatness was equal to her in importance. The elders considered this a great sacrilege. Only a wise decision helped the Sultan and the architect avoid anger. Another, 7th tower was added to the main shrine in Mecca, and it again became the greatest.

Another interesting fact is not at all related to religion. During construction, almost all Iznik factories supplying ceramics were destroyed. Ahmed forbade selling it for other projects. And he paid his bills very sloppily. Or didn't pay at all.