Sultan Ahmet Mosque or Sultanahmet Mosque was built between 1609 and 1617 by the Ottoman Sultan Ahmed I on the historical peninsula in Istanbul by Architect Sedefkar Mehmed Ağa.
Sultan Ahmet Camii
Attractions
Summer term: 08:30 – 18:30
Winter period: 08:30 – 17:00
The always crowded Blue Mosque, which gives its name to the historical district of Istanbul, is at the top of foreign "must see places in Istanbul" lists. If you ask me, there are more aesthetic mosques in Istanbul, especially the Rüstem Pasha and Ortaköy Mosques, but of course, the Blue Mosque has a completely different weight with its place in history and the city skyline. Sultan Ahmet I, who had the mosque built, wanted to do exactly that: to put his signature on Istanbul with an imposing mosque that will be visible from all over Istanbul.
Thus, the only 6 minaret mosque of the Ottoman Empire was built. It is adorned from earth to sky with more than 20 thousand Iznik tiles. These tiles are the reason why foreigners call this mosque the "Blue Mosque". When the mosque was first built, it was met with a great reaction both at home and abroad. The people were upset that the state coffers were being emptied with unnecessary expenditures, and the Muslim world was upset with the world's only mosque with 6 minarets in the Kaaba. So much so that the Sultan had to build a 7th minaret for the mosque in the Kaaba.
