This 17th-century mosque, facing Hagia Sophia, is famous for its beautiful blue tile work ornamenting its interior walls. Its six slim minarets distinguish it from other mosques, which normally have two or four minarets.
It was built from 1609 to 1616, during the rule of Ahmed I. Like many other mosques, it also houses the tomb of the founder, a madrasah and a hospice. While still used as a mosque, Sultanahmet is one of the most popular, and important, tourist attractions in Istanbul.
Sultanahmet is considered to be the last great mosque of the Ottoman classical period, as it is the culmination of two centuries of both Ottoman mosque and Byzantine church development. It incorporates some Byzantine elements of Hagia Sophia along with traditional Islamic architecture.