This post contains affiliate links that can earn this website a small income. They will not cost you anything to use.
I hope you haven’t had your fill of Turkey, both the food and the country, because I’m excited to share some of my favorite photos from Istanbul, taken on my last night in the country before I spent a long night at the airport. I was staying at Cheers Lighthouse hostel in Sultanahmet, located right behind the Blue Mosque.
The Blue Mosque is actually called the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, but has been named for the color because of the tiles that cover the interior. It was built in the 1600s. I had stopped by earlier in the day, where I saw lines of people waiting to get in. After talking to my Urban Adventures guide, he suggested that I go back at night, as there wouldn’t be crowds.
The mosque is closed to the public during the daily prayers, but otherwise you can visit any time. This is why it can get so crowded during the day, as tour groups are all trying to get in. But come 5 pm, all that’s left are the locals. I waited until prayer had finished before donning my scarf over my head and entering the mosque.
There were a few worshippers still there, with the men in the main area and the women in the back behind a partition. The tiles truly are breathtaking, as I am used to visiting churches with iconography and stained glass rather than ornate geometrical patterns of the Muslim tradition. The Blue Mosque’s ceilings are made up of 20,000 hand painted tiles from throughout Turkey.
Pope Benedict XVI even visited the mosque back in 2006 as a sign of unity. He was only the second to ever do so. Despite knowing only a little about Islam, it’s hard not to feel the presence of a greater power at the Blue Mosque.
If You Go
The Blue Mosque is open to visitors throughout the day, so there’s no need to go with a tour group. The big tour groups and cruise ship guests all wait in line first thing in the morning, so your best bet is to go at night. You won’t have to wait in line and you’ll get the magical light I captured in these pictures.
It’s a working mosque, so it’s free to visit, but you’ll need to respect the religious customs. Women shouldn’t wear revealing clothing and should cover their heads with a scarf. Both genders must remove their shoes and leave them outside. Don’t take pictures of worshipers. The Blue Mosque is closed to visitors during the six daily prayers.
Leave a Reply