Learn about the most famous mosques in Istanbul

Turkey contains the largest number of historical mosques, and the mosques of Turkey from the inside are dominated by exquisite designs and charming Ottoman architecture. It also includes the largest mosque in the world, the "Chamlica" mosque in Istanbul, with an estimated area of ​​about 15,000 square meters. The city of Istanbul embraces many tourist places and landmarks that attract millions of tourists annually from all over the world, and this is what made it the most important among the tourist cities in Turkey. The most prominent tourist attractions in Istanbul include the museums and ancient monuments dating back to the civilization of the Ottoman Empire, as well as the mosques of Istanbul, whose minarets rise majestically in the center of a city that bursts with life and beauty every day. The city of Istanbul is known as the city of minarets since the city of Istanbul is one of the cities that is characterized by containing the largest number of mosques in the world, and these mosques in Istanbul vary in the historical old, and modern.

• The most important mosques in Istanbul

• Hagia Sophia Mosque: The Hagia Sophia Mosque, which is one of the most famous religious monuments in the world, is a history in itself and witnessed great epics. The Hagia Sophia Mosque is one of the most famous tourist attractions in European Istanbul. It has a long history that extends back to the year 537 AD, the year in which it was built by the Roman Emperor Justinian. The Hagia Sophia Mosque was a church when it was established, but after the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul, it was converted into a mosque by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. During the era of converting the country to the republican system, the mosque was converted into a religious museum that includes a large collection of huge pictures. In the middle of the year 2020, this great landmark witnessed a historic decision to annul the decision of the Supreme Administrative Court, and the Hagia Sophia was inaugurated as a mosque in which prayers are held. The Hagia Sophia Mosque is a unique artistic and architectural edifice, as it is located in the Sultanahmet area near the Sultanahmet Mosque. It is one of the most prominent examples of Byzantine architecture and Ottoman ornamentation.

• The new Eminonu Mosque: This mosque enjoys a privileged location in the heart of Istanbul in the Eminonu district. It has a charming view of the Golden Horn Bay and is close to the Egyptian market, the Ottoman Sultan Murad III. The new Eminonu Mosque opened in the year 1665 AD, after it took more than half a century to build, it is one of the most important monuments of Istanbul. The new Eminonu Mosque is also known as the Mosque of the Sultan's Mother or the Mosque of the Mother Sultana. The order to build it was issued in 1597 AD by Safiya Sultan, mother of Sultan Muhammad III. Because of the reluctance of the sultans who came after Mehmed III to complete the project and for other reasons, the construction work of the mosque was suspended. The Sultan's Palace, which houses the mosque, is one of the most magnificent palaces attached to the mosques, which were built in the seventeenth century. The mosque itself is the largest cemetery of the Ottoman sultans, as it contains the tomb of five Ottoman sultans, in addition to the tomb of Sultana Hatice Turhan, who is credited with completing the mosque's architecture.
• Sultanahmet Mosque: Sultan Ahmed Mosque is located in the Fatih district of Istanbul, surrounded by many archaeological facilities dating back to the Byzantine and Ottoman eras, directly opposite the Hagia Sophia Mosque, which is no less historically important, and adjacent to the Topkapi Palace. Sultan Ahmed Mosque has six minarets with 16 balconies. The architects adopted this number as a reference to the order of Sultan Ahmed in terms of the sequence of assuming the throne of the Sultanate. The mosque enjoyed a special status with Sultan Ahmed I, considering it the greatest achievement of his reign, and the mosque was opened for worship in 1617 AD. And since the visitors' vision of the mosque over the years has been associated with the blue color, the mosque has become called the "Blue Mosque".

• Al-Fateh Mosque: Al-Fateh Mosque is one of the largest and most magnificent mosques in Istanbul, attracting tourists from all over the world. Before it was transformed into a mosque by order of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror in the year 1470, it was a church in the Byzantine era. The Al-Fateh Mosque is distinguished by its historical and tourist importance, which made it one of the most important religious places, as the mosque has two identical minarets, and it has a large courtyard surrounded by many columns and arches.
• Shahzadeh Mosque: Located in the Fatih district of the European city of Istanbul, this famous mosque was built during the reign of the Ottoman Empire in the year 1548 AD, by order of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, to commemorate his eldest son, the late Shahzad Muhammad, who died at the age of 21. The mosque has a strategic location that made it one of the most important mosques in Istanbul. It overlooks the view of the historical peninsula of Istanbul, and its majestic and distinctive building makes you feel the luxury of Islamic and Ottoman architecture through its inner courtyard, which is surrounded by a portico, and around it are 12 columns carrying 16 domes distributed throughout the mosque.

We also note that a city like Istanbul is famous for its many mosques, and the city is not limited to only one well-known mosque, as is the case with many other cities, but many huge and distinctive mosques represent a complete history and great glories. The city of Istanbul deserves to be the city of minarets because it contains large mosques with many high-rise minarets.