April 7, 2012

The Blue Mosque















Two of Istanbul's most venerable monuments, the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, face each other in Sultanahmet Square. You must start your exploration of Istanbul's wonders here.

The Blue Mosque, known locally as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, gets its name from the marvelous, mainly blue, Iznik tilework decorating its interior walls. It has six minarets, eight domes and one main dome, and was considered a sacrilegious attempt to rival the architecture of Mecca when it was built (1609-1616).

Pictures cannot capture the majesty of this mosque, but to see my attempt click here.

No comments: