Following the visit to the Topkapi Palace, we made our way to the Blue Mosque. It was a Friday that we were there, so we had to wait until the afternoon prayers had completed before visitors were allowed back inside. The Blue Mosque is also known as the Sultan Ahmet Mosque. This mosque is unique in that it has six minarets, instead of the four minarets that were originally requested. Apparently the architect had misheard the number.
Minaret, Blue Mosque, Istanbul
When we arrived in the courtyard, several visitors were waiting for the doors to reopen.
Visitors, Courtyard, Blue Mosque, Istanbul
Here is another image of the ablution fountain in the courtyard. Note the selfie stick in the background!
Visitors Near Ablution Fountain, Blue Mosque, Istanbul
Once we had donned appropriate clothing clothing and footwear (or lack thereof), we entered the mosque. The dome of the mosque has exquisite detail, as can be seen in the following image.
Dome Detail, Blue Mosque, Istanbul
The south eastern wall of the mosque has magnificent stained glass windows, that can be seen in this image with some of the dome and pillars. At the bottom of this image is lighting that is suspended about 10 feet above the floor.
Stained Glass And Lights, Blue Mosque, Istanbul
In the following image, we can see one of the four main pillars that support the main dome.
Pillar In The Blue Mosque, Istanbul
The interior of the mosque is covered with a huge carpet with a tulip design. The tulip is the national flower of Turkey.
Carpet, Blue Mosque, Istanbul
Here is another image where the pillar meets the dome, again showing the tile and mosaic detail.
Dome And Pillar Detail, Blue Mosque, Istanbul
After leaving the mosque, I made this image of some of the courtyard and minaret.
Courtyard And Minaret, Blue Mosque, Istanbul
We headed out towards the outer courtyard, located between the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sofya. Here is the Blue Mosque in the late afternoon with five of the six minarets.
Blue Mosque And Clouds, Istanbul
This image shows the main dome, accompanied by three smaller domes in the foreground.
Main Dome, Blue Mosque
In this final image, I have included the mosque with four minarets.
Blue Mosque And Four Minarets, Istanbul
If one looks carefully, cables can be seen suspended between the minarets. These are part of the sound system that is used to broadcast the call to prayer during the day.