Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an important symbol of Istanbul, Blue Mosque Istanbul Turkey is a historical mosque that ornaments the city’s stunning skyline. In addition to being a famous tourist spot, it is also an active mosque that welcomes Muslims from all over the world. The mosque was initially known as Sultanahmet Mosque, after Sultan Ahmed who initiated the construction of this glorious monument that was built between 1909 and 1916.The Blue Mosque boasts of an imperial exterior with a large courtyard surrounded by vaulted arcades. The interior is even more palatial and sports elegant blue ceramic tiles that adorn the walls of the mosque. The chandeliers and natural light reflect the blue paint on the dome thus camouflaging the entire area in blue. The main highlight of visiting the Blue Mosque Istanbul is witnessing its six minarets which is a significant feature of the mosque.

The Blue Mosque, an iconic landmark of Istanbul that dominates the city’s skyline, has an impressive history behind its founding. The construction of the Blue Mosque Istanbul Turkey was commissioned by Sultan Ahmed I, who ascended the throne in 1603 when he was 13 years old. After fifteen years of war between the Ottoman Empire and Habsburg Monarchy, the Sultan realized that the trust of people in the Empire was diminishing. So, he ordered the building of this huge and spectacular Blue Mosque to proclaim his authority and power. However, he had to use the state treasury to fund this expensive project as he won nothing in the war. While looking for an appropriate place to build the mosque, Sultan Ahmed chose the Ayşe Sultan Palace which was near the hippodrome overlooking the sea and bought this palace by paying 30 loads of pure gold dinar. He then sent for the chief architect of the palace, Mehmet Ağa, to draw a marvelous plan for the mosque to compete with the architecture of Hagia Sophia and Suleymaniye Mosque. The Blue Mosque was supposed to have five main domes, eight secondary domes and six minarets. It is believed that the Sultan told the architect “altın minareler”, meaning gold minarets in Turkish. But the architect misinterpreted it as “altı minareler” and thought six minarets were to be built. When the number of minarets was revealed, the Sultan was ridiculed as the holy mosque in Mecca was the only one to have six minarets. The construction of the mosque went on for 7 years from 1609 to 1616 and on June 2, 1616, a grand opening ceremony was held to inaugurate the Sultanahmet Mosque. Owing to the charming interiors of the mosque decorated with blue tiles and blue paint, it is commonly known as the Blue Mosque.