Audio GuideThe Blue Mosque

In the heart of Istanbul stands the Sultanahmet Camii, also known worldwide as the Blue Mosque. Built over four hundred years ago, this mosque is more than a house of worship—it is a testament to ambition, faith, and artistic brilliance. The story begins amid uncertainty: after a peace treaty weakened the Ottoman Empire’s prestige, Sultan Ahmed the First, who ascended the throne as a teenager, dreamed of restoring his city’s glory. Without the spoils of victory that usually funded such projects, he tapped into the royal treasury to commission a mosque that would rival even the legendary Hagia Sophia across the square.

Olajire A Adeleke

Designed by Sedefkar Mehmed Agha, the Blue Mosque blends Islamic grace with elements borrowed from Byzantine masterpieces. Grand domes rise above rows of semi-domes, and sunlight floods in through more than two hundred stained-glass windows. On the walls, over twenty thousand hand-crafted Iznik tiles shimmer—the reason for the mosque’s nickname—adorned with blues, greens, and intricate floral motifs.

Jose Omar Macaya

Outside, six elegant minarets pierce the sky. Centuries ago, this was an unusual sight; legend says the Sultan’s request for golden minarets was misunderstood as “six minarets,” causing controversy since only the mosque in Mecca matched that number. To resolve this, a seventh minaret was added to Mecca.

Mr. Meer

Beneath the prayer hall, the mosque’s complex, or külliye, once housed a school, a hospital, kitchens, a market, and the tomb of its founder—a full center of faith and daily life. Even today, the mosque serves both as a sacred space and a magnet for visitors, echoing with worship and footsteps from around the world.

Mohamad Almasri

Despite fires, time, and repeated restorations, the Blue Mosque remains a living symbol of Istanbul’s heritage and its spirit of hospitality, welcoming all who seek beauty, history, or quiet reflection.