The Blue Mosque, Istanbul

The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii) has six minarets, which caused a diplomatic incident when it was completed in 1616. The Kaaba in Mecca had six minarets. Sultan Ahmed I had either failed to specify the number clearly to his architect or – depending on which version of the story you prefer – the architect heard “altin” (gold) and built “alti” (six). The Ottomans resolved the situation by adding a seventh minaret to the mosque at Mecca. The Blue Mosque now stands at the east end of the Hippodrome in Sultanahmet, its six minarets the dominant feature of the Istanbul skyline alongside Hagia Sophia directly opposite.

The interior is covered with over 20,000 Iznik tiles hand-painted in blue, white, and green floral patterns – hence the common name, though the official name honours the sultan who commissioned it. The tiles create a light that shifts throughout the day; afternoon sun through the high windows produces a particularly vivid effect.

Visiting

Entry is free. No ticket, no booking, no Museum Pass required. Open daily from 8:30am to one hour before dusk. The mosque closes to tourists five times daily for prayer (roughly 15 minutes each time); on Fridays it closes until approximately 2:30pm for the congregational Jumu’ah prayer. A mandatory security check at the entrance adds 30-60 minutes during peak season.

Dress code is enforced: women must cover hair, neck, and shoulders; men must cover shoulders and knees. Free headscarves and cover-up gowns are provided at the entrance for those who need them. Remove shoes before the prayer hall. Photography is permitted in visitor areas without flash.

The best visiting times are 9-11:30am or late afternoon on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Avoid Friday mornings entirely and expect maximum crowds on summer weekends. A typical visit runs 30-45 minutes inside.

The Sultanahmet Area

Hagia Sophia is directly across the square. Originally a Byzantine cathedral of 532 CE, converted to mosque after 1453, museum in 1934, and reconverted to mosque in 2020. Entry is free; the dome interior and surviving mosaics are the reasons to go. Dress code applies.

Topkapi Palace is a 15-minute walk east: the Ottoman imperial palace from 1459 to 1856, now a major museum complex. The Treasury and Sacred Relics sections are the highlights; see the Topkapi entry for booking details (the combined ticket now includes Hagia Irene, which is inside the palace grounds).

Basilica Cistern is immediately east of the mosque: a 6th-century underground water reservoir of 336 columns, 9 metres deep. Medusa heads serve as column bases in two locations. Entry currently around 250 TL; book at yerebatan.com.

Eating and Staying

The immediate Sultanahmet area has tourist-facing restaurants at tourist prices. Walk east into the Cağaloğlu neighbourhood for better value. The streets around the Spice Bazaar (Misir Carsisi), 15 minutes’ walk toward the waterfront, have lokanta (traditional Turkish lunch restaurants) at honest prices.

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet is a former prison converted to a hotel directly adjacent to the palace walls – the most historically placed luxury option. Ibrahim Pasha Hotel on Terzihane Sokak is a well-run boutique option in an Ottoman building at more manageable prices.