The Sultan Ahmet Mosque, nicknamed the Blue Mosque, faces [Hagia Sophia](/fr/attractions/sainte-sophie-istanbul) across Sultanahmet Square, alongside the former [Hippodrome of Constantinople](/fr/attractions/hippodrome-de-constantinople). Entry is free, with no ticket: the mosque can be visited every day from 8:30am, outside the five daily prayers, and on Fridays only after the midday prayer. Commissioned by Sultan Ahmed I and built from 1609 to 1617 by the architect Sedefkâr Mehmed Ağa, it is recognisable by its six minarets. Allow 30 to 45 minutes for the visit, plus the wait at the security check in high season. A restoration launched in 2018 was completed in April 2023.
Highlights
The six-minaret silhouette
The domes cascade down around the central dome, about 23.5 m across and 43 m high, which rests on four half-domes. The six minarets, about 64 m tall, can be seen from afar, from Sultanahmet Square and from the Sea of Marmara.
The prayer hall and its Iznik tiles
More than 21,000 Iznik ceramic tiles, in some fifty designs, cover the walls and galleries; the predominantly blue paintwork of the domes gave the mosque its nickname. About 260 windows light the hall, above the large chandeliers hung low.
The arcaded courtyard
In front of the prayer hall, it is lined with domed arcades and centred on an octagonal fountain. It offers the fullest view of the façade and of the cascade of domes.
The tomb of Ahmed I
Completed in 1619 to the northeast of the mosque, on the Hagia Sophia side, it holds the tomb of the sultan, who died in 1617 shortly after his mosque was finished, as well as those of members of his family.
The 2018-2023 restoration
Carried out by the General Directorate of Foundations, it covered the domes, minarets, tiles, carpets and lighting. The mosque stayed open for most of the works and fully reopened in April 2023, with interior decoration closer to its 17th-century state.
Dress code and visiting rules
Men and women cover their shoulders and knees; women also cover their hair. Headscarves are lent free of charge at the visitors' entrance. Shoes come off before entering the prayer hall and are carried in a plastic bag provided. Part of the hall remains reserved for worshippers: speak quietly and avoid photographing people at prayer.
Infos pratiques
Tips
Visitors do not use the same door as worshippers: follow the signs to the visitors' entrance, on the side of the mosque. Closing times follow prayer times, which change every day with the sun; check the day's prayer timetable and avoid arriving just before the next prayer, when visitor access is suspended. Bring your own headscarf, more comfortable than the ones lent, and clean socks.
How to get there
At Meydanı Caddesi, Sultanahmet Square, 34122 Fatih, Istanbul. T1 tram, Sultanahmet stop, about 3 minutes' walk away. On foot from Hagia Sophia, across the garden of Sultanahmet Square.
Opening hours
Nearby
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