Istanbul Guide

BLUE MOSQUE

MURATART/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

DON’T MISS  The approach from the Hippodrome  The İ znik tiles  The carved white marble mimber PRACTICALITIES  Map p240, D4  % 0545 577 1899  www.bluemosque.co  Hippodrome  h closed to non worshippers during 6

İ stanbul’s most photogenic building was the grand project of Sultan Ahmet I (r 1603–17), whose türbe (tomb) is located on the north side of the site facing Sultanahmet Park. Officially known as the Sultanahmet Camii (Sultanahmet Mosque), its wonderfully curvaceous exterior features a cascade of domes and six slender minarets, while blue İ znik tiles adorn the interior and give the building its unofficial but commonly used name. Exterior Ahmet set out to build a monument that would rival and even surpass the nearby Aya Sofya in grandeur and beau ty. Indeed the young sultan was so enthusiastic about the project that he is said to have worked with the labourers and craftsmen on site, pushing them along and rewarding extra effort. Ahmet did in fact come close to his goal of rivalling Aya Sofya – and made future generations of local hoteliers happy: a ‘Blue Mosque view’ from the roof ter race is a top selling point of hotels in the area. With the mosque’s exterior, the architect, Sedefkâr

daily prayer times  j Sultanahmet

Mehmet A ğ a, managed to orchestrate a visual wham-bam effect similar to that of Aya Sofya’s interior. Its curves are voluptuous; its courtyard is the biggest of all the Ottoman mosques; and it has more minarets than any other İ stanbul mosque – a record only re cently equalled by the colossal new Çaml ı ca Mosque on the city’s Asian side. In fact, there was concern at the time of the Blue Mosque’s construction that the sultan was being pre sumptuous in specifying six minarets, as the only equivalent was in Mecca. In order to fully appreciate the mosque’s design you should approach it via the mid dle of the Hippodrome rather than entering from Sultanahmet Park. When inside the courtyard, which is the same size as the mosque’s interior, you’ll be able to appreciate the