Why the
Blue Mosque
in Istanbul is special

This exemplar of Ottoman architecture is one of the world's most striking buildings.

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Top 3
Blue Mosque
attractions

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Domes

The cascading curvaceous domes gracefully adorn the structure.

Minarets

The slim, elegant minarets number six (a worldwide rarity).

Pray room

It's sizeable in area, thanks to the four mammoth stand-alone columns that support the dome. Floors are blanketed with donated carpets and the walls bear paintings and tiles with floral, arboreal, and abstract designs.

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Blue Mosque
tips & insights

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Name

"Blue Mosque" is a nickname, referring to the interior blue tiles (the exterior is gray). The official name is Sultan Ahmed Mosque, a tribute to the early 17th century ruler who built this wonder.

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Not as outstanding
as it once was

Sorry to say, replicas of inferior artistic and workmanship quality have been used to replace aging items like tiles and stained glass windows.

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Comparing it the
nearby Hagia Sophia

No doubt, its ex-mosque neighbor the Hagia Sophia is a greater wonder, partially because its astonishingly enormous dome dates back a thousand years earlier. However, the Blue Mosque wins the beauty contest. So enjoy both.

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Wonders of Turkey - Home page

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World's Top 100 Wonders

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Site map

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Turkish Culture and Tourist Office

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Blue Mosque photo by Rev Stan - CC BY 2.0

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