Sultanahmet Mosque, Sultanahmet Camii by Turkish which is popularly called as Blue Mosque because of its blue tiles interior.
The mosque was constructed facing Hagia Sophia with as many minarets as the great mosque in Mecca causing a major rift between the two. The Sultan has to donate extra minaret for Mecca.
Minarets are the tall slender towers usually situated at one of the corner of the mosque which call the faithful for the prayer.
Pope Benedict XVI visited Sultanahmet Mosque during his visit in Sultanahmet in 2006. It marks as the second Papal visit in history, to a Muslim place of worship.
It was crowded, families are celebrating their festival of breaking of the fast. Felt hesitated to visit the mosque as it was their festival. Those tiny eyes on the long queue of visitors at the entrance was enough to convince me to follow the queue. Have to remove shoes before entering the mosque. Plastic bags for the shoes are available by the entrance as well as scarfs for the ladies. Scarfs are to be collected back when leaving the mosque. No fees collected, only donations.
It was my first time ever to visit a mosque and I was amazed by its grandeur workmanship. Tiles were finely decorated on such a high big dome.
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| The courtyard |
Mosque by night
Blue Mosque
Sultanahmet, Turkey
September 2011
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