Blue Mosque & Sultanahmet Square
Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)
The Sultanahmet Camii (1616) is Istanbul's landmark and one of the masterpieces of Ottoman architecture. Sultan Ahmed I had it built opposite the Hagia Sophia — as a statement that the Ottoman Empire was the heir of Rome and Byzantium. The mosque is famous for:
- Six Minarets: Unique in Islamic architecture — only the mosque in Mecca had more (seven at the time). Sultan Ahmed had to finance a seventh minaret in Mecca to make amends.
- 20,000+ İznik Tiles: The interior is covered with hand-painted ceramic tiles from İznik — tulips, carnations, and hyacinths in blue, white, and green. The blue light streaming through the 260 windows and reflecting off the tiles gave the mosque its nickname.
- The Carpeted Floor: The prayer room is covered with hand-knotted carpets — take off your shoes and feel the warmth underfoot.
Entrance: Free (active mosque). Tourist access through a separate entrance. Modest clothing required (shoulders and knees covered, women with headscarf). No tourist access during prayer times.
Sultanahmet Square (Hippodrome)
The square between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque was once the Hippodrome of Constantinople — the racetrack for 100,000 spectators, center of public life, and scene of bloody uprisings. Three ancient monuments still stand:
- Egyptian Obelisk (Thutmose III): 3,500 years old, brought from Luxor to Constantinople (390 AD).
- Serpent Column: From the Temple of Apollo in Delphi — 2,500 years old.
- Walled Obelisk (Constantine VII): Byzantine, once clad in bronze plates.