🇹🇷 Blue Mosque: Classic Istanbul

Anyone who has been to Istanbul can tell you that it is a city of full of mosques, in fact I think one of its nicknames is "The City of a Thousand Minarets". It is true that you see mosques everywhere, with a very distinctive style and shape. This is because most of the mosques were built during the era of the Ottoman Empire, hence Istanbul having a strong link to an Islamic heritage. The classic mosque of Istanbul is no doubt the Blue Mosque, or the Sultanahmet Camii, named after one of the Ottoman sultans. The architecture, especially the shape of the dome, is modelled after the Hagia Sophia next door. It is called "blue" because of the many blue tiles inside the mosque, which I believe has some significance in Islam. For the mosque, yes it is free and non Muslim can enter. Make sure to take off your shoes before stepping inside, and women need a scarf to cover their heads as per Islamic guideline. There is a washing area for Islamic ablution. Inside, there is a carpet you can sit on and simply enjoy the spirituality of the place, even if you aren't Muslim. Outside, there are many free books and brochures on Islam. #turkey #istanbul