Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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The city's signature building was the grand project of Sultan Ahmet I, who urged its ar-
chitect and builders on in the construction process before his untimely death in 1617 aged
only 27. The mosque's wonderfully curvaceous exterior features a cascade of domes and
six tapering minarets. Inside, the huge space is encrusted with thousands of the blue İznik
tiles that give the building its unofficial but commonly used name. Beloved by tourists and
locals alike, it and Aya Sofya bookend Sultanahmet Park in a truly extraordinary fashion.
Sultanahmet & Around
