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THE MOSQUE OF SULTAN AHMET (THE BLUE MOSQUE)

The Mosque of Sultan Ahmet, one of the most revered masterpieces not only of Turkey but of the Islamic World as well, inspires deep admiration in all those who visit it. A striking example of classical Turkish art, this royal mosque is unique in that it is the only mosque originally built with six minarets. The mosque is surrounded by many monuments dating back to the earlier phases of the history of Istanbul, and its fine silhouette is a prominent part of the beautiful skyline of Istanbul as seen from the sea.
Although built between 1609 and 1616 by Sultan Ahmet I (and named for him), the mosque is known throughout the world as "the Blue Mosque" owing to the dominant colour of the paint and the ceramic tiles used generously to decorate its interior. The architect designed and built the mosque as the core of a complex consisting of such functional buildings as a covered bazaar, a Turkish bath, a public kitchen for the poor, a hospital, schools, a caravanserai, and later on the tomb of Sultan Ahmet I. Unfortunately, some of these structures have not survived to this day.

The Blue Mosque in front of Bophorus

The Blue Mosque in front of Bophorus

The main entrance to the mosque is on the side facing to the ancient Roman hippodrome and opens to the outer court that surrounds a podium upon which the main structure and the inner court are situated. Through the door that opens to the inner court, above the diminutive ablution fountain and the colonnade that surround the main building, one can see the series of cupolas that rise in a beautiful harmony. The main building has three entrances through which one may walk and be impressed immediately by the colourful decor of hand-painted ceramic tiles and stained-glass windows. The interior space of the mosque is a large whole.

In a mosque as fascinatin, beatiful and serene as the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet, a believer can say his prayers in ultmost reverence.

In a mosque as fascinatin, beautiful and serene as the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet, a believer can say his prayers in almost reverence.
The balcony next to the south pillar, supported by columns, is for chanters.

The central cupola and the four spherical semi-domes are supported by broken arches and four thick grooved pillars. The central cupola of the mosque is 23.50 m in diameter and its height at the keystone is43 m.The walls of the galleries on three sides of the nave are covered by more than 20,000 magnificent handmade tiles from iznik.
The higher parts of the walls and the inner surfaces of the cupolas are decorated with paint. The colour of paint on these parts originally was not blue. It was only in one of the later repairs that the colour that earned the mosque its name was applied to the walls and work is being carried on since the late 1970's to remove the dominant blue paint that was not there originally and restore the mosque's interior to its original appearance.
The floor of the mosque is covered, in conformity with tradition, by carpets donated by believers. On the wall facing the entrance is the mihrab (the prayer niche on the wall facing the Kaaba in Mecca) and the minber (pulpit) which are carved beautifully out of white marble. To the left of the mihrab is the Sultan's box which looks like a balcony. The interior of the mosque is illuminated by natural light through 260 windows.