| The Blue Mosque, which is officially called the | | | | thick. These foundational pillars are referred to as the |
| Sultanahmet Camii (the Sultan Ahmet Mosque), is | | | | "elephant's foot" pillars. |
| perhaps the most famous site in Istanbul, Turkey, and | | | | The interior of the building is spectacular, with the inside |
| most certainly one of its most spectacular postcard | | | | of all the domes and arches are covered in beautiful |
| views. It towers above the old city, and sits overlooking | | | | Islamic calligraphy. In addition to that, the interior walls |
| the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorous Straight. | | | | are covered with over 20,000 blue iznik tiles. Many |
| The mosque is named after Sultan Ahmet I who | | | | people have wondered why a light gray mosque is |
| commissioned its construction in 1609. Designed by | | | | called the "Blue Mosque", but the name actually derives |
| Mehmet Aga, it took seven years to complete. It | | | | from the color of these tiles. The interior is also |
| consists of a number of domes, surrounded by six | | | | enclosed by 260 stained glass windows, and when |
| minarets. There is one gigantic central dome, which is a | | | | sunlightshines through the colored light upon the blue |
| whole 33 meters wide (100 feet), and is surrounded by | | | | tiles is a beautiful site. The original stained glass |
| a large number of smaller domes. They all sit atop four | | | | windows were, however, destroyed in an Earthquake, |
| huge pillars which each measure 4.5 meters (15 feet) | | | | so these are replacements. |