Istanbul (Constantinople): Blue Mosque
Blue Mosque Photo Gallery
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Southwest of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is the Sultan Ahmet Camil, more commonly known as the "Blue Mosque." Built on the grounds of a former Byzantine palace east of the Hippodrome, Ahmet I completed it in 1616 and is one of the principal mosques (Camil) in Istanbul.
Why is it called the Blue Mosque? The interior is covered with blue tiles - Islam forbids decorations with images of people, so Muslims have decorated their mosques with geometric patters and images of plants.
