The Blue Mosque
📚What You Will Learn
- Why it's called the Blue Mosque and its real name.
- The story behind its six minarets and construction controversy.
- Architectural innovations and historical context.
- How to visit respectfully today.
📝Summary
ℹ️Quick Facts
- Built 1609-1617 by Sultan Ahmed I and architect Sedefkar Mehmed Ağa.
- Six minarets caused controversy; a seventh was added to Mecca's mosque to resolve it.
- Central dome: 23.5m diameter, 43m high; over 20,000 blue Iznik tiles inside.
💡Key Takeaways
- Masterful Ottoman architecture blending Sinan's influence with Byzantine elements from Hagia Sophia.
- Symbol of imperial piety after Ottoman setbacks, part of a külliye with hospital, school, and tomb.
- Interior glows with blue tiles depicting paradise motifs, lit by 200+ windows.
Sultan Ahmed I commissioned the Blue Mosque after the 1606 Peace of Zsitvatorok dented Ottoman prestige, hoping to gain divine favor. Construction began in 1609 under architect Sedefkar Mehmed Ağa, pupil of master Mimar Sinan, and wrapped up in 1616-1617 just before Ahmed's death at 27.
Positioned opposite Hagia Sophia across Sultanahmet Square, it was designed to rival the Byzantine icon.
The mosque features a 23.5m-wide central dome flanked by four semi-domes, supported by massive 'elephant foot' pillars, creating a vast 64x72m prayer hall. Six slender minarets soar skyward, an extravagant choice that sparked uproar—typically mosques had four; Ahmed quelled it by funding a seventh for Mecca.
Inside, 20,000+ Iznik tiles in blues, tulips, and cypress trees evoke paradise, intensified by light from over 200 stained-glass windows. The courtyard's arcade of 26 columns and 30 domes leads to an imperial loge for sultans.
This synthesis of Ottoman grandeur and Byzantine harmony marks it as the last classical Ottoman mosque.
Beyond the mosque, the complex includes Ahmed I's tomb, a madrasa, hospital (darüşşifa), and public kitchen built over the old Hippodrome.
The hospital, finished in 1620, had its own hammam and mosque, showcasing the Ottomans' holistic approach to community welfare.
Open daily except prayer times; non-Muslims use the north entrance. As of 2025, it remains free, drawing crowds—arrive early to avoid lines.
Respect rules: cover shoulders/knees, women cover hair. The courtyard fountain offers ablution views, perfect for photos.
A UNESCO site neighbor, it symbolizes Istanbul's layered history and still hosts prayers amid tourism. Recent restorations preserve its tiles and domes for future generations.
⚠️Things to Note
- Non-Muslims enter via a side door; dress modestly (headscarves for women, no shorts).
- Prayer times close it to tourists; visit early morning or late afternoon.
- Free entry, but donations appreciated; photography allowed without flash.