Sultan Ahmet Mosque.
Blue Mosque, or, as it is also called, the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet is an Islamic response to Hagia Sophia. Its architect, Mehmet Aga Sedefkar, wanted to surpass the grandeur of the Orthodox basilica, and many people believe he managed to do it. Blue Mosque was built between 1609 and 1617, almost 1100 years after Hagia Sophia. Its central dome is 33 meters in diameter and is surrounded by smaller domes.
Blue Mosque has as many as 6 Mosque minarets. Their number was supposed to symbolize the wealth of the sultan, but the fact that the number of minarets coincided with the number of minarets of the Grand Mosque in Mecca outraged the Muslim world. The sultan solved the problem by adding a seventh minaret to Blue Mosque. Inner premises of the mosque are decorated with 20,000 small tiles of blue, green and red-brown colors. The tiles were made in the town of Iznik. Blue tiles are found primarily on the protrusions and in the courtyard of the mosque. Do not forget to pay attention to the beautiful prayer niche, mihrab, carved in the wall facing Mecca. Travellers should keep in mind that the mosque is closed for visitors during prayers (5 times a day).
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