Sultan Ahmed (Blue) Mosque

Just across from Hagia Sophia stands another wonderful mosque — the Blue Mosque, built about 400 years ago by a young Sultan named Ahmed. He wanted to give Istanbul a beautiful new mosque, so he hired the best architects and the finest tile-makers in the empire.

The nickname 'Blue Mosque' comes from the 20,000+ hand-painted blue and turquoise tiles that decorate the walls inside. When sunlight pours through the 260 stained-glass windows, the whole inside glows blue like the sea!

The mosque has six pencil-thin minarets, which was a record at the time. It also has a huge open courtyard where families and tourists love to take pictures of its many domes and half-domes climbing up to the sky.

Even though it is famous, it is still a real working mosque. The call to prayer is still made from those tall minarets five times every day, and visitors quietly step aside while people pray.