Blue Mosque

Sultan Ahmet I was facing a rough time after the empire’s loss in the war with Persia between 1603 and 1618 and the 15 years’ war between the Ottomans and the Habsburg Monarchy. Therefore he commissioned the construction of a mosque that should boost people’s morale and that would be more beautiful and bigger than Hagia Sophia, which was the most important mosque at that time. To make the differences between the two mosques more evident, he ordered that Sultanahmet Camii should be built opposed to the Hagia Sophia and next to the Hippodrome. 

On the other hand, the construction of the mosque gathered a lot of hostility since Ahmet I did not win the wars and therefore lacked on funds to fund the project. The sultan withdrew funds from the treasury and such decision was not seen with good eyes. 

The Blue Mosque of Istanbul has six minarets. In actual days, only two other mosques in Turkey have the same number, but at that time only the mosque of Ka’aba in Mecca had (the sultan Ahmet I commissioned an extra minaret to be built in Mecca in order to not look presumptuous). The mosque also has thirteen domes, of which five are main and eight are secondary. The style of the building combines Islamic and Christian architectural elements and the result is a classic work. There are more than 200 stained glass windows in the upper levels, which allow natural light to touch the more than twenty thousand handmade Iznik tiles decorating the mosque’s interior; these tiles are of turquoise colour and red tulip design.

If compared to the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque’s central dome is 23,5 meters in diameter and 43 meters high. Even though it is impressive, four pillars had to be installed to ensure safety, whereas Hagia Sophia’s is unsupported. 

The best way to fully appreciate the beauty of the Blue Mosque is stating your visit by approaching it through the Hippodrome, this way you can enjoy the courtyard and the view of the mosque on the background. 

Be aware that the mosque closes for 1h30 for each of the 5 prayers in the day, being the first at sunrise and the last at sunset. Visiting on Friday, especially at midday is not a good option. The best time to visit the Blue Mosque is, therefore, mid-morning any other day of the week. 

Remember it is a holy place, so you should follow the rules; take off your shoes at the entrance and place them in a plastic bag. People should wear modest clothes, therefore no shorts or short skirts or any tight clothing; women are required to cover their head when entering the building. If you do not have a scarf there are coverings available free of charge at the entrance. Once you finish your visit you can make a donation to help in the maintenance of the mosque, although it is not compulsory.