The Blue Mosque

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, often known as the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, is one of the most beautiful historical sites in Turkey. It is a working mosque that also attracts a huge number of tourists. During the reign of Ahmed I, it was built between 1609 and 1616. The mosque's interior walls are adorned with hand-painted blue tiles, and the mosque is bathed in blue at night as lights surround the mosque's five major domes, six minarets, and eight minor domes. It is located near to Hagia Sophia, Istanbul's main mosque until the construction of the Blue Mosque, and another renowned tourist attraction. In 1985, the Blue Mosque was included to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list as part of the "Historic Areas of Istanbul."

There are five major domes, six minarets, and eight subsidiary domes in the Blue Mosque. The mosque's design is the result of two centuries of Ottoman mosque construction. It is the final big mosque of the classical period, combining many Byzantine characteristics from the surrounding Hagia Sophia with conventional Islamic design. Sedefkâr Mehmed Aa, the architect, combined his master Sinan's ideals, striving for overwhelming immensity, majesty, and magnificence. Around 20,000 pieces of hand-painted glazed earthenware in 60 various tulip patterns adorn the top level. 200 stained glass windows brighten the lower levels. A courtyard with a huge fountain and a separate ablution area before the mosque. On the western side of the court, an iron chain swings from the entrance. Only the Sultan was permitted to ride his horse inside the mosque, and he had to stoop his head to avoid hitting the chain, a symbolic gesture demonstrating the ruler's humility before Allah.

Location: Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey