Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Mosque in Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is an early 17th-century structure in the Eminönü district, commonly called the Blue Mosque due to its interior tilework. The main prayer hall opens under a central dome 23 meters in diameter, supported by four half-domes and massive columns, all decorated inside with painted geometric and floral patterns.
Sultan Ahmed I commissioned the architect Sedefkar Mehmet Ağa to design the building in 1609, seeking to celebrate his reign with a grand religious monument. Work finished seven years later, shortly before the sultan's death, making it the last major Ottoman mosque project before a long pause in imperial construction.
The name comes from the more than 20,000 handmade blue and white Iznik tiles lining the interior, ordered by Ahmed I from the Iznik workshops; he forbade their export elsewhere, which contributed to the decline of those workshops. The dome and semi-domes carry Quranic verses and sayings of Muhammad executed by the calligrapher Seyyid Kasım Gubari of Diyarbakır. The tile patterns repeat tulips, lilies, carnations and roses, with over 50 variations of the tulip alone.
Entry happens through a large courtyard where visitors remove their shoes and women cover their hair before stepping inside. During prayer times the central area closes to tourists, but side aisles often remain open so you can view the space from a distance.
When completed, the six minarets sparked diplomatic tension because only the grand mosque in Mecca had the same number at the time. To resolve the issue, the sultan funded the addition of a seventh minaret in Mecca, allowing both sites to maintain their distinct status.
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