Sultan Ahmed Mosque

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, commonly known as the Blue Mosque, is an early 17th-century Ottoman imperial mosque on Istanbul’s historic peninsula. It was commissioned by Sultan Ahmed I and completed in the early 1600s.

The interior is famed for its extensive use of blue İznik tiles and calligraphic decoration; the complex also includes a large courtyard and a cascade of domes. The mosque has six minarets and remains an active mosque, so visitor access is restricted during prayer times.

Designed by the imperial architect Sedefkar Mehmed Agha, the building blends classical Ottoman architectural elements with a strong interior tile scheme and monumental dome composition. It stands opposite the Hagia Sophia and forms a principal element of the Sultanahmet skyline.

The mosque is located in the Sultanahmet quarter of Istanbul’s historic peninsula, within walking distance of other major monuments and public squares.

• Construction and minarets: Construction took place between 1609 and 1616 under Sultan Ahmed I; the building is notable for having six minarets, an unusual number for imperial mosques.
• Tiles and access: Interior decoration includes more than 20,000 İznik tiles in blue and white tones and extensive calligraphic panels; the mosque remains an active place of worship and closes for daily prayers.

What to See #

• Main prayer hall and dome: The main prayer hall beneath a large central dome is lined with thousands of hand-painted Iznik tiles and capped by a cascade of domes and semi-domes.
• Courtyard: A large rectangular courtyard with arcades provides an exterior forecourt and orientation point facing the historic Sultanahmet precinct.