The Blue Mosque(Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Blue Mosque)

Very impressive, especially how the light shines through the hundreds if coloured glass windows, the tranquility amidst hundreds of tourists that people use to do their prayers.

The Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey (also known as the Suleymaniye Mosque) combines Byzantine-style domes with Islamic architectural elements. The main dome is 27.5 meters in diameter, surrounded by 4 secondary domes and 30 small domes, without pillar support. No iron nails were used during its construction, relying only on masonry structures, and it still stands tall after 400 years of earthquakes. The central hall inside is nearly 5,000 square meters, with 260 small windows around it combined with stained glass windows to form a "light dance space" with changing light and shadow. The designer Koca Mimar Sinan (April 15, 1489 - April 9, 1588) was Michelangelo in the Ottoman Empire. Along the way, in addition to the Blue Mosque (Suleymaniye Mosque) in Istanbul, built from 1550 to 1557, we were very lucky to visit two other masterpieces of this great designer: 1️⃣ The Great Mosque (Gez Husserl Beg Mosque) in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, built in 1531; 2️⃣ The Mehmed Pasha Sokolovic Bridge in Visegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina, built in 1577. ​

🕌 Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque), Istanbul📍 Address: Sultan Ahmet Mah., Atmeydanı Cd. No:7, Fatih, Istanbul🕰 Hours: Daily 8:30 AM – one hour before sunset (Closed to tourists during prayer times)📝 Review:A must-visit landmark in Istanbul! Famous for its six minarets and beautiful blue İznik tiles inside, the Blue Mosque offers stunning Ottoman architecture and a peaceful atmosphere. Entry is free, but respectful clothing is required.✅ Tips: • Avoid prayer times (especially Friday noon) • Women should bring a scarf to cover hair • Plastic bags are provided for shoes⭐ Why Go?Historic, spiritual, and visually breathtaking — it’s right across from Hagia Sophia and perfect for photos and cultural insight.

Comprehensive review of Blue Mosque attractions Architectural and historical value Magnificent appearance: The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) is famous for its six 43-meter-high minarets and a giant dome with a diameter of 27.5 meters. It is a masterpiece of Islamic classical architecture and is known as "one of the ten wonders of the world"12. Interior decoration: The walls of the mosque are covered with blue and white Iznik tiles, matched with Arabic calligraphy and geometric patterns. The sun shines through the colored glass to form a dreamy light and shadow, which is full of artistic and religious atmosphere12. Visiting experience Advantages: Cultural symbol: As a landmark of Istanbul, it combines Byzantine and Islamic culture and is suitable for in-depth experience of Turkish history2. Off-peak suggestion: Avoid the five daily prayer times (such as afternoon), when there are fewer tourists3. Disadvantages: Large flow of people: Long queues are required during popular hours, and the crowds inside affect taking pictures13. Hygiene issues: You need to take off your shoes to enter. The carpet may have a peculiar smell on rainy or humid days. It is recommended to bring your own disposable socks13. ‌Notes‌ ‌Dress requirements‌: Women need to wear headscarves, and blue robes are provided in the mosque (more popular than the pink mosque)‌34. ‌Photography suggestions‌: The fountain square can take panoramic photos, but the interior is limited by light and crowds, so you need to be patient to find the angle‌34. ‌Comparison with other mosques‌ ‌Comparison with the Blue Mosque in Putrajaya‌: The Turkish version is larger and has a longer history, but there are fewer tourists in Putrajaya and it is more suitable for taking pictures‌4. ‌Tourist evaluation is divided‌: Some people think it is seriously commercialized (such as dense tour groups), but some people praise its faith and architectural beauty‌12. ‌Recommendation index‌: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) ‌Suitable for people‌: History enthusiasts, photography players, it is recommended to avoid the rainy season and peak hours‌12.

The Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia face each other. The two buildings are very close and can be visited on the same day. The park in the middle is beautiful. You can sit there when you are tired. It is super comfortable! The murals and patterns in the mosque are beautiful, but there are many people. You need to take off your shoes before entering. Many tourists go in with their shoes in their hands. The smell is a bit strong🤦‍♂️, which is an important factor affecting the visit. Therefore, it is recommended to bring a mask. If you have strong foot odor, it is recommended to wash it next to you before entering, or don’t carry your shoes when you go in. No one will take them if you put them in the cabinet next to you.

It's just a mosque The next stop after the Grand Bazaar is the Blue Mosque. The Blue Mosque is another name, and its real name is the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. The location seems to be in a bustling area of ​​Istanbul, and the surrounding is very lively. It started to rain when we arrived. The tour group prepared disposable raincoats. Fortunately, the rain was not heavy, but it still felt bad to be caught in the rain while queuing. Maybe it's a famous attraction. There are too many people visiting, and it took a long time to queue. This mosque has a lot more rules than the mosques I visited before, such as not being able to wear shoes to enter, and women cannot enter the prayer area. Because you can't wear shoes and it's raining, the smell in the mosque is a bit strong. I feel that this mosque is bigger than the mosque I visited before, and the decoration is better. I don't feel anything else. Plus there are a lot of people, it feels so-so. It doesn't look like a mosque for worship, but like a pure tourist attraction. The European children who visited together are very cute.

The Blue Mosque has a large dome with a diameter of 27.5 meters, and there are 4 smaller domes. The minaret, which is indispensable to the mosque, is 43 meters high. It is a dome building in the style of the Iznik style. There are six minarets around it, symbolizing the six major beliefs of Islam. The Blue Mosque is one of the ten wonders of the world. The Blue Mosque, formerly known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, is one of the famous mosques in Turkey. It was designed and built by Mehmet Aga, a favorite student of Sinan, a famous classical architect in the Islamic world, in the early 17th century. It is named because the walls of the mosque are all decorated with blue and white Iznik tiles. It is one of the most important landmarks in Istanbul.

Blue Mosque is the Ottoman-era Friday mosque in Istanbul, Turkey's big city. It is an operational mosque and also attracts a large number of tourists.