Sights · 33 of the best in Istanbul
Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)
Six minarets and 20,000 tiles
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Thomas Woodtli from Zürich, Switzerland · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Julian Lupyan · CC0 via Wikimedia Commons1 / 2
About Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque faces Hagia Sophia across the old Hippodrome. Built for Sultan Ahmed I between 1609 and 1616, it has six minarets and a cascade of domes, and its interior is covered with thousands of İznik tiles in blues and greens, which give it its popular name. It is a working mosque and closes to visitors during the five daily prayers; enter through the visitors’ entrance on the Hippodrome side. Dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered, a headscarf for women), take off your shoes, and avoid prayer times.
Why it's on our list
- Built 1609–1616
- Six minarets
- İznik tiles
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest metro & tram stops
- SultanahmetT1300 m4 min walk
- ÇemberlitaşT1600 m7 min walk
- GülhaneT1750 m10 min walk
Nearest taxi ranks
- Taxi rank, Çayıroğlu Sokağı350 m4 min walk
- Taxi rank, Ishakpaşa Caddesi450 m5 min walk
Key sights
- Basilica Cistern350 mWalk 5 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 4 min
- Hagia Sophia450 mWalk 6 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 4 min
- Topkapı Palace850 mWalk 11 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Grand Bazaar950 mWalk 12 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Spice Bazaar1.3 kmWalk 16 minCycle 5 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Süleymaniye Mosque1.6 kmWalk 20 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 8 min
- Galata Bridge1.6 kmWalk 21 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 8 min
- Galata Tower2.3 kmWalk 28 minCycle 9 minCar or taxi 10 min
- İstiklal Avenue3.1 kmWalk 39 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 12 min
- Taksim Square3.6 kmWalk 45 minCycle 14 minCar or taxi 14 min
Getting around
- Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW)30 kmCar or taxi 94 min
- Istanbul Airport (IST)35 kmCar or taxi 109 min