Muslim woman in front of The Blue Mosque, Istanbul

Description

Sultan Ahmed Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque by many tourists because of its bluish interior decoration, is the most important mosque of Istanbul standing next to the Byzantine Hippodrome in the old city center.

In order to fully appreciate the mosque’s architecture, you should approach it from the side coming from the Hippodrome instead of entering it through the park. At first glance the Blue Mosque can indeed rival with the Hagia Sophia.

There are plenty of nice curves thanks to an ascending system of domes, the giant courtyard is the biggest of all Ottoman mosques, and the six minarets make for a beautiful silhouette, especially when floodlit after dusk.