Ottoman architecture: Mosques of Istanbul
- Introduction.
- The Sultan Ahmed Mosque.
- Sultan Ahmed I.
- History of the mosque.
- Importance of the location.
- Reasons why Sultan Ahmed I built the mosque.
- Symbol of power.
- Matching the size of the older mosques.
- Architecture.
- Ottoman architecture.
- The main dome.
- The idea of building a mosque as a part of a larger complex.
- The tiles used: Iznik tile work as being symbolic of the Ottoman Empire.
- The qibla wall.
- Three tiers of stained glass windows.
- A royal balcony for the sultan and his viziers.
- The minarets of the mosque.
- Difficulties in studying this mosque.
- Several different names and variations of those names.
- Finding specific details about the mosque.
- The sultan and architect of this mosque are not as well known.
- Conclusion.
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, better known as the Blue Mosque, is located in Istanbul, Turkey in Sultanahmet Square. It was commissioned by Sultan Ahmed I in 1609 to be the first imperial mosque built by the Ottoman Empire in over forty years. The mosque was given the name "Blue" by foreign travelers because of the beautiful tiles in tones of blue, turquoise, and green that decorate the interior. Although the mosque is one of many in Istanbul, the former capital of the Ottoman Empire, it is the national mosque of Turkey as well as a tourist attraction. The Blue Mosque is one of the last examples of classical Ottoman architecture, with its cascading domes, striking pencil-shaped minarets, and luxuriously tiled interior.Sultan Ahmed I is not recognized as a particularly significant sultan in the history of the Ottoman Empire, mainly because he never won any notables victories and had a very short reign. He came to the throne at age 13 after the death of his father Mehmed III.
