Page 41 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2023 DISCOVERING TURKEY

THE BLUE MOSQUE

Just an Olympic stone's throw away from the
Hagia Sophia is the Blue Mosque, one of Is-
tanbul’s most iconic and popular tourist at-
traction. Officially named for Sultan Ahmed
Camii who reigned during its construction in
the early 1600s, the imposing structure is a
masterpiece of Ottoman architecture.
The first time we visited the Blue Mosque,
crowned by five large and eight smaller
domes, we wondered about its name. The ex-
terior isn’t blue. Once inside, we understood.
Some 20,000 mostly blue handmade ceramic
Iznik tiles dress the interior with intricate
floral designs that include tulips, roses, car-
nations, and lilies. Also on the walls, graceful

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