Also called the Blue Mosque because of the blue tiles and artwork on the interior, the Sultanahmet Mosque is one of the most iconic monuments of Ottoman architecture. It was built for Sultan Ahmet I between 1609 and 1617 by Mehmet Ağa, a student of the architect Sinan.
Where is the Sultanahmet Mosque?
The Sultanahmet Mosque is in the Sultanahmet neighborhood of the Fatih district of Istanbul. It is on the east side of the Hippodrome and across from the Hagia Sophia. Along with Topkapı Palace, the Sultanahmet Mosque occupies the former Byzantine Great Palace area, of which little is left except for some floor mosaics in the Mosaic Museum to the east.
Courtyard
The exterior of the Sultanahmet Mosque is one of the few mosques with six minarets. From the hippodrome, you will first enter a huge rectangular courtyard through a monumental gate. Note the chain that hangs from the top of the gate. It was put there to make sure the Sultan, entering on horseback, would bow his head. The courtyard also has two other entrances. It is bounded by colonnaded walkways, topped by 30 small domes. In the center is an octagonal Şadırvan, or public fountain, for ablutions before prayers. This is now done at a long communal sink with faucets on the side of the mosque.
Exterior
If you look up at the roof domes from the gate, they seem to cascade from the vast central dome to smaller and smaller domes. Because of this effect, the scene is often photographed.
Interior
Tiles
The lower parts of the interior walls are decorated with more than 21,000 Iznik tiles, which are painted with floral motifs of trees, flowers, and fruit in a broad spectrum of colors. The tiles were primarily made in Iznik (ancient Nicaea) and are called Iznik Tiles.
Above the tiles are painted motifs in mainly blue, so the mosque is called the “Blue Mosque.”
Prayer Hall
The prayer hall measures 64 x 72 meters (210 x 236 feet). It has 260 windows for natural lighting. Here you can get an inside look at the roof domes. The central dome measures 23.5 meters (77 feet) in diameter. From floor to top center is 43 meters (141 feet). The central dome is supported by four massive columns and surrounded by four semi-domes, which are surrounded by three smaller semi-domes. Four even smaller domes are in the corners. It is painted with elaborate patterns and calligraphy.
Minbar and Mihrab
The Mihrab (showing the direction of Mecca) is carved from a single piece of fine marble and covered by a gold-covered conical cap. The minbar is a decorated staircase with a platform at the top, where the imam stands when delivering his sermon at noon prayer on Fridays or holy days. A small piece of stone from the Kaaba in Mecca is in the mihrab.
Sultan’s Loge
The Sultan’s Loge is a raised balcony in the southeast corner of the prayer hall, protected by an intricately decorated and gilded screen. It can only be accessed from the outside by a private, secure passageway.
Sultanahmet Mosque Visiting Hours
The Sultanahmet Mosque is open to visitors from 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM on Saturday through Thursday, except during daily prayer times posted at the entrances. On Friday, the mosque opens at 2:30 PM and closes at 6:00 PM.
Mosque Manners
Dress Modestly
- Men and women must wear clothing that covers their shoulders.
- Women must cover their heads with a scarf (they are available at the entrances).
- Shorts and skirts must be long enough to reach below the knees (wraps are available at the entrances).
- When entering, you must remove your shoes (boxes are provided to store them at the entrances).
Behave Properly
- Be respectful and quiet.
- Turn off your mobile phone or silence it.
- Don’t lean against walls or anything else.
- Don’t walk around people praying (they often pray outside posted prayer times).
- If you take photos, don’t use flash.
