Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is one of two significant mosques in this part of Istanbul. You can say that they are two of the most important mosques in the country. So important that they have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage site list. I ended up at the Sultan Ahmed Mosque first. It wasn’t difficult to find the mosque because it is just that big. The mosque was ordered constructed by its namesake Sultan Ahmed. The mosque is built in typical Ottoman architecture, which in turn was heavily inspired by Byzantine architecture. Naturally, the Ottomans would prefer not to merely copy but it eventually included Islamic designs and became a style on its own.
Covered Walkway on the Perimeter of the Courtyard of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is said to have been built to supplant the nearby Hagia Sophia as a symbol of Istanbul. I would think that it is because Hagia Sophia originally was a cathedral but it was converted into a mosque. The new mosque, built not too far away from the Hagia Sophia was to be built from scratch and be grander than Hagia Sophia. As far as I can see, the mosque is splendid. The mosque has multiple domes culminating in a central dome which gives an impression of immense size to the viewer. Indeed, it feels almost like a mountain when looking at it. This is typical of these Ottoman style mosques which are very common in the country. The domes are have a blue color and the color’s use in the domes give rise to the other name of the mosque – Blue Mosque. There is a vast courtyard in front of the mosque building itself but I can see that there aren’t too many people there at the moment. Most people are seeking shelter from the afternoon sun, just like I am.
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