The Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey was commissioned by Sultan Ahmed I in 1609 and completed in 1616. It was built on the site of the Byzantine imperial palace and hippodrome facing Hagia Sophia, combining Ottoman and Byzantine architectural styles. The mosque interior features over 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles and has a large central dome surrounded by four smaller domes and six minarets. It was the last great mosque of the classical period of the Ottoman Empire and remains one of the most impressive monuments in Istanbul.

1. Blue mosque

2. c o n t e n t
• Introduction
• Basic information
• Geography
• Architecture of blue mosque
• Interiors
• Exteriors

3. I n t r o d u c t i o n
• Following thePeace of Zsitvatorok(1606) and the unfavourable result of the wars
with Persia, Sultan Ahmed I decided to build ahuge mosque in Istanbul.
• It would be the first great imperial mosque to be built in more than forty years.
• he had not won any notable victories during his time. This provoked the anger of
the Ottoman ulama, the Muslim legal scholars
• The mosque was to be built on the site of the palace of the Byzantine emperors,
facing theHagia Sophia (at that timeit wasmost venerated mosque in Istanbul)
and the hippodrome,a site of great symbolic significance.
• Large parts of the Sphendone(curved tribune with U-shaped structure of the
hippodrome) were also removed to make room for the new mosque
• Construction of the mosque started in August 1609 when the sultan himself
came to break the first sod. It was his intention that this would become the first
mosque of his empire.

4. I n t r o d u c t i o n
• He did appoint his royal architect SedefharMehmetAğa, a pupil and senior assistant of the famous architect
MimarSinanto be in charge of the Mosque construction
• The organization of the work was described in meticulous detail in eight volumes, now found in the library of the
TopkapıPalace. The opening ceremonies were held in 1617 .
• The sultan could now pray in the royal box which called hünkârmahfil.
• Sultan Ahmed Mosque(blue mossque) is currently one of the most impressive monuments in the world.
• ItsKülliyecontains a tomb of the founder, amadrasahand a hospice.
• Sultan ahmed, ottoman empir

5. B a s i c
i n f o r m a t i o n
• Location Istanbul , turkey
• Geographic 41.005483°N
• coordinates 28.977385°E
• Affiliation Islam
• Architectural description
• Architect(s) SedefkârMehmedaga
• Architectural type Mosque
• Architectural style Islamic,Late Classical Ottoman
• Completed 1616
• Specifications
• Capacity 10,000 people
• Length 73m (240ft)
• Width 65m (213ft)
• Dome height (outer) 43m (141ft) Dome dia. (inner) 23.50m (77.1ft)
• Minaret(s) 6
• Minaret height 64m (210ft)

6. G e o g r a p h y
• Istanbul , turkey is the best place to learn about religion and culture in this ancient city at the crossroads of
the europeand asia.
• Istanbul is the largest city inTurkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart.
• Founded on theSarayburnupromontory around 660 BC asByzantium , the city now known as Istanbul
developed to become one of the most significant cities in history. For nearly sixteen centuries following its
reestablishment asConstantinoplein 330 AD, it served as the capital of four empires: theRoman Empire (330–
395), theByzantine Empire(395–1204 and 1261–1453), theLatin Empire(1204–1261), and theOttoman
Empire (1453–1922)

7. A r c h i t e c t u r e
• The design of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque is the culmination of two
centuries of both Ottoman mosque and Byzantine church developments.
• It incorporates some Byzantine elements of the neighboUring
HagiaSophia with traditional Islamic architecture and is considered to be
the last great mosque of the classical period of Ottoman Empire.
• The architect hasapplied the ideas of his master Sinan, aiming for
overwhelming size, majesty and splendour.
• Design is cluminationof two centuries of Ottoman mosque
• Sultan ahmedmosque (Blue mosque) ,
Has one main dome
Six minarets
Eight secondary domes

8. I n t e r i o r s
• AtBlue Mosquelower levels and at every pier, the interior of the mosque is lined with more than 20,000 handmade
ceramic tiles, made at Iznikcity(Nicaea) in more than fifty different tulip designs.
• The tiles at lower levels are traditional in design, while at gallery level their design becomes flamboyant with
representingflowers, fruit and cypresses.
• The tiles on the back balcony wall are restoratedtiles from the harem in the TopkapPalace, when it was damaged by fire
in 1574
• The upper levels of the Mosque interioris dominated by blue paint. More than 200 stained glass windows with intricate
designs admit natural light.

9. I n t e r i o r s
• The decorations including verses from the Qur'an, many of them made by SeyyidKasimGubari, regarded as the greatest calligrapher of his
time.
• The floors are covered with carpets
• The many spacious windows confer a spacious impression. Each exedra of the Mosque has five windows, some of which are blind. Each
semi dome has 14 windows and the central dome 28 windows(four of which are blind). The coloured glass for the windows was a giftfrom
the Signoriaof Venice to the sultan. Most of these coloured windows have been replaced by current modern versions with little or no
artistic merit.
• The floors are covered with carpets, which are donated by the faithful and are regularly replaced as they wear out

10. I n t e r i o r s
The most important elementof the Mosqueinterior is the mihrab, which is made of finely carved and sculptured marble,
with a stalactite niche and a double inscriptive panel above it.Adjacent walls are sheathed in ceramic tiles. But due to many
windows around it make it look less spectacular.
To the right of the mihrabis the richly decorated minber, or pulpit, where the Imam stands when he is delivering his sermon
at the time of noon prayer on Fridays orspecial holydays. The mosque has been specially designed so that even when it is at
its most crowded, everyone in the mosque can see and hear the Imam.
The royal kiosk is situated at the south-east corner comprises a platform, a loggia and two small retiring rooms. It gives
access to the royal loge in the south east upper gallery of the Blue Mosque.

11. I n t e r i o r s
• The royal loge (called hünkârmahfilin Turkish) is supported by ten marble columns.
• The many lamps inside the Blue Mosque were once covered with gold and gems. Among the glass bowls each one could
find ostrich eggs and crystal balls. All these decorations have been removed or pillaged for museums in Istanbul .
• The great tablets on the walls are inscribed with the names of the caliphs and verses from the Quran, originally by the
great 17th century calligrapher AmetliKasımGubarım,but time by timethey have frequently been restored
• On the chandeliers, ostrich eggs are found that were meant to avoid cobwebs inside the mosque by repelling spiders

12. E x t e r i o r
• The façade of the spacious forecourt was built in the same manner as
the façade of the SüleymaniyeMosque in Istanbul, except for the
addition of the turrets on the corner domes.
• It has ablution facilities on both sides.The court is about as large as the
mosque itself and is surrounded by a continuous vaulted arcade.
• The central hexagonal fountain is rather small in contrast with the
dimensions of the courtyard.
• The monumental but narrow gateway to the courtyard stands out
architecturally from the its arcade.
• Its semi-dome has a fine stalactite structure, crowned by a small
ribbed dome on a tall tholobate

13. E x t e r i o r
A heavy iron chain hangs in the upper part of the court entrance on the western side of the Mosque.
Only the sultan was allowed to enter the court of the Blue Mosque on horseback.
The chain was put there, so that the sultan had to lower his head every time he enter the court in order not to get
hit.Itwas done as a symbolic gesture, to ensure the humility of the ruler in the face of the divine

14. M i n a r e t s
• The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is first one of the two mosques in Turkey that
has six minarets
• the Sultan was criticized for being presumptuous, since this was the same
minarets number as at the mosque of the Ka'abain Mecca.Heovercame this
problem by ordering a seventh minaret to be built at the Mecca mosque.
• Four minarets stand at the corners of the Blue Mosque.
• Each of these fluted, pencil-shaped minarets has three balconies (Called
Şerefe) with stalactite corbels, while the two others at the end of the
forecourt only have two balconies.
• Before the muezzin or prayer caller had to climb a narrow spiral staircase
five times a day to announce the call to prayer.

15. M i n a r e t s
Today, a public announce system is being used, and the call can be heard across the old part of the city,
echoed by other mosques in the vicinity.
Large crowds of both Turks and tourists gather at sunset in the park facing the mosque to hear the call to
evening prayers, as the sun sets and the mosque is brilliantly illuminated by coloredflood lights.

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