About Sultan Ahmet Mosque

It is located in front of the Hagia Sophia, in the Eminönü district of Istanbul. The architect of the complex is Sedefkar Mehmed Aga, who was appointed the head architect after Sinan the Architect’s death. The Sultan Ahmed Complex is one of the greatest complexes in Istanbul. Construction began with a big ceremony in 1609, and it was completed in 1616. The building is more familiarly known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior paneling of more than 20,000 blue and white Iznik tiles which include floral motifs. According to Evliya Celebi, the famous 17th centruy Ottoman traveler and writer, seven palaces were pulled down for this monumental structure. Being one of the last samples of the Classical Ottoman architectural heritage adds a different value to the complex. 

Primary structures of the complex include the mosque, imaret(soup kitchen), madrasah (Qur'an School), Hünkar Kasrı (sultan’s summer palace), bath, fountain, darüşşifa (hospital), sıbyan mektebi (Ottoman elementary-primary school), arasta (Ottoman bazaar), sebil (public fountain), lodgings, houses and cellars. Information about structures of the complex are given in “Akarat-ı Vakf-ı Şerif “ in details.  

Mosque

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) is the only one which has 6 minarets among mosques in Istanbul. The four minarets with three sherefes each (minaret balcony) were erected at the four corners of the mosque, and the remaining two short minarets with two sherefes each were erected opposite at two corners of the courtyard. The central dome, placed on four piers, is 33.6 meters in diameter and 43 meters high at its central point.  It is supported by four semi-domes. The ceiling structure of the Blue mosque is similar to the Şehzadebaşı (Prince) Mosque.