Architecture·Later empires
Sultan Ahmed Mosque Opens in Istanbul
- Date
- 1617 CE1026 AH409 years ago
- Place
- Istanbul, Ottoman Empire
- People
- Ahmed I
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque, opened in Istanbul in 1617. Sultan Ahmed I ordered its construction in 1609. It has six minarets and a large central dome, and its interior is decorated with blue Iznik tiles. The complex stands next to the Hagia Sophia in the old city.
Why it matters
It remains one of the best-known Ottoman monuments and a major visitor site in Istanbul.