BLUE MOSQUE

    "Blue" is an appropriate adjective to describe this distinctive mosque of old Istanbul since exquisite blue Iznik tiles cover the interior walls. It was inaugurated in 1616 by Ahmet I, one of the youngest sultans to rule the Ottoman Empire. (He ascended the throne at age 12 and reigned for 15 years.) The mosque's architect Mehmet Aga was a student of the famous Sinan, the Ottoman architect responsible for the magnificent Süleymaniye. The Blue Mosque was built in only seven years and was perhaps Aga's way of showing the world he could outdo not only his master but also the Byzantine architects who designed the renowned cathedral St.Sophia, which the Aga's mosque resembles in many ways. Interestingly, the two face one another across Sultanahmet Square.

    The Blue Mosque's exterior is all balance and harmony and wonderfully romantic at the same time. A cascade of leaded domes ripples to the ground as six fluted minarets pierce the sky. Its courtyard, immense and serene, is completely enclosed by a covered arcade and supported by antique columns. The vast interior is a vision of color and light and the marvelous Iznik tiles for which the mosque is so rightly famous. According to popular lore, the production of such an enormous quantity of tiles completely exhausted the master potters and the decline of the ceramic tradition of Iznik began.

    Long a favorite of sultans for their ceremonial processions to Friday prayers, the Blue Mosque remains a prime destination for visitors of all faiths.

source: http://planetexplorer.online.discovery.com/