BLUE MOSQUE

As one of the great monuments from the classic Ottoman period, the Sultan Ahmet Mosque is more commonly referred to as the Blue Mosque due to the more than 20.000 blue Iznik tiles decorating its interior. Its construction was begun in 1609 by the master Ottoman architect Mehmet Aga and upon completion it emerged as an anomaly in Islamic architecture, with its six minarets and overpowering size. Located right across from Hagia Sophia on the southeast side of the Hippodrome, the multi-domed structure of the Blue Mosque contains a carpet museum and a kilim and flatweave museum within the complex, for those interested. The Iznik tiles covering the interior of the main building date from the best period of Iznik tiling and continue to be the main aesthetic attraction in this monument.