Blue Mosque
Perhaps Istanbul's most recognizable site is the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, more commonly known as the Blue Mosque. The mosque received its popular name from the many beautiful blue interior tiles that adorn it, applied after the building's completion in 1616.
Inside the mosque, there are more than 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles. Many of them are blue or turquoise. The blue tiles, along with natural daylight, which penetrates through the ample windows of the mosque, fosters an atmosphere which is calming and beautifully peaceful inside.
The combination of light and the blue tiles creates a more beautiful view for the visitors. The color blue has a number of cultural and spiritual meanings in the Islamic culture, so it is understood to symbolize Heaven, being able to transcend nature, and having divine protection.
The six minarets and large central dome of the mosque mark the climax in Ottoman architecture. The Blue Mosque still serves as a working house of prayer, drawing visitors from all over the world who come to admire its spiritual significance and its beauty.
