Blue Mosque

In Istanbul's Battle of the Buildings, the Blue Mosque is, for me, the outright winner. It was built in the seventeenth century on the orders of Sultan Ahmet I with the intention that it should rival the Hagia Sophia which stands opposite it. The image of these two fantastic buildings square up to each other is one of the most breath-taking sights in Istanbul, a city that's not short on visual magnificence. Both buildings are quite extraordinary but it's the Blue Mosque that wins me over with its six stately minarets and awesome courtyard; I'd go so far as to say that every trip (at least every first trip) to Istanbul should include a visit to the Blue Mosque. ...  Read the complete review

The Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque) is justifiably one of the principle attractions of Istanbul and it is almost inconcievable that as a tourist you wouldn't visit. Of course this means that visit may well involve being surrounded by hoards of other visiters and people trying to make money by selling stuff to them. However, ignore this and the mosque makes it more than worthwhile. The Blue Mosque is named for the blue tiling inside which has 20,000 blue tiles covering the domes, walls and floor which make for an amazing sight. Characteristic of mosques, the interior has ornate arab script and prayer mats set up in the direction of Mecca. The largest of the ...  Read the complete review

Almost synonymous with the skyline of Istanbul is the imposing sextet of spires surrounding the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, better known to the world as the Blue Mosque. Stand near an American tourist there, and it won't be long before you hear a bitter, whining protestation that the mosque isn't blue. Well, it's true, the outside of the mosque isn't blue, so let's shatter that illusion for a start. The name actually comes from the predominantly blue-coloured Iznik tiles inside the mosque. The Blue Mosque is an imposing presence at the eastern end of the southwestern peninsula of the city, and is probably one of the first tourist attractions in the ...  Read the complete review