The Blue Mosque was built by Sultan Ahmet I (1603 to 1617) who set out to build a monument that would rival or even surpass the beauty and grandeur of the nearby Aya Sofya.Whereas the Aya Sofya is known for its interior, the Blue Mosque managed to create an incredible exterior with 6 minarets and the biggest courtyard of all the Ottoman mosques.
We entered through the south door because only worshipers could enter through the main door. Gaby was given a shawl to cover her head and bare arms and we had to take off our shoes (appropriate clothing is required in all mosques). The inside of the mosque is impressive. There are 260 windows and the central prayer space is huge. The dome is held up by four huge “elephant feet” pillars and the Mosque is named after the more than 10,000 blue tiles that line the inside.
The only downside was the smell of thousands of shoeless feet on a 100 degree day on the beautiful Persian carpets that lay on the floor. They made Steve’s high school locker room pale in comparison. We learned the art of breathing in without smelling in there.
No comments:
Post a Comment