Blue Mosque, Istambul, Turkey

The Sultan Ahmet Mosque is known as the Blue Mosque because of the blue tiles in its interior. The mosque was built between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Sultan Ahmet I, on the site of a Byzantine palace. The mosque includes six minarets which, at the time, was as many as Mecca's minarets. When criticised for his presumption, the Sultan explained he was misunderstood, as he had asked for golden minarets (similar word to six in Turkish). Nevertheless, he paid for a seventh minaret to be built at Mecca.
The Blue Mosque is an active mosque so it's closed to non-worshipers during daily prayers.

Entrance free
Avoid visiting the mosque during daily prayers.
Dress appropriately.

How to go: Sultanahmet light train station







Local: Istambul, Turquia

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