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This mosque was built by
Sultan Ahmet I during 1609-1616 in the square carrying his name in
Istanbul. The architect is Sedefhar Mehmet Aga. It is the only
mosque in Turkey with six minarets. The mosque is 64 x 72 m in
dimensions. The central dome is 43 m in height and is 33.4 m in
diameter. 260 windows surround the mosque. Due to its beautiful
blue, green and white tilings it has been named the "Blue Mosque" by
Europeans. The inscriptions were made by Seyyid Kasim Gubari.
The interior furnishings of Sultan Ahmet Camii are typical of those
of the other imperial mosques in Istanbul.The most important element
in the interior of any mosque is the mihrab, a niche set into the
center of the wall opposite the main entrance.The purpose of the
mihrab is to indicate the kible, the direction of the holy city
Mecca, toward which the faithful mast face when they perform their
prayers.In the great mosques of Istanbulthe mihrab is invaribly
quite grand, with the niche itself made of finely carved and
sculptured marble and the adjacent wall sheathed in ceramic tiles.To
the right of the mihrab we see the mimber, or pulpit, where the imam
stands when he is delivering his sermon at the time of noon prayer
on Fridays or on holy days.The mosque is flooded with light from its
260 windows.
These were once filled with colored glass which would have tempered
the too-crude brightness; now they are slowly being replaced with
modern immitations.The painted arebesquesin the domes and upper
parts of the building are less good than examples of this type of
decoration from 16th and 17th century, when they were reachly
elaborate in design and somberly magnificiant in color
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