The Blue Mosque, Turkey

The Blue Mosque, also known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Turkish: Sultan Ahmet Camii), is a historic imperial mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, that dates back to the Ottoman era. Built during Ahmed I's reign between 1609 and 1617, it is still in use as a mosque today. It is one of the most recognizable and well-liked structures of Ottoman architecture and draws a lot of tourists.Four semi-domes round the central dome of the mosque, which features a traditional Ottoman design over the prayer hall. It has six minarets on either side and a sizable courtyard in front. The mosque's well-known moniker comes from the hundreds of Iznik tiles and painted flower designs in mostly blue that adorn its interior. The madrasa, Ahmed's tomb, and a number of additional structures in varying levels of preservation are all part of the mosque's külliye, or religious complex.

The mosque is located across from the Hagia Sophia, another well-liked tourist destination, and was constructed next to the old Hippodrome. In 1985, the Blue Mosque was listed as one of the "Historic Areas of Istanbul" UNESCO World Heritage Sites.Sultan Ahmed I made the decision to construct a sizable mosque in Istanbul in the hopes of requesting God's favor following the Peace of Zsitvatorok, which was perceived as a setback to Ottoman prestige.Since Murad III and Mehmed III had failed to build their own imperial mosques, he was the first sultan to do so since Selim II (d. 1574).The mosque's design is modeled after the previous Şehzade Mosque, which was created in the early 16th century by Mimar Sinan. The prayer hall features a central dome that is 23.5 meters (77 feet) in diameter and is 64 by 72 meters (210 by 236 feet).Four semi-domes, each bordered by three smaller semi-domes or exedrae, round the dome. The prayer hall's corners are covered by four smaller domes. The mosque's external features include a spacious courtyard in front of the prayer hall, six minarets, and ablutions facilities.