Turkey Trip: Blue Mosque

One of the memories that will stand out for me from Turkey is the sound of the ezan, the Islamic call to prayer which comes five times per day.  We heard it broadcast from loudspeakers that were on nearly every mosque minaret we saw.  Sometimes, we could hear the call from multiple mosques just slightly out of sync, and it was an amazing sound.

Although we heard the ezan in many places, we actually visited only one active mosque: the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (popularly known as the Blue Mosque).

View of the Blue Mosque from Sultan Ahmet Park

View from the entrance to the courtyard

We visited the mosque the same day as the Hagia Sophia.  We arrived during a period for prayer, so we walked through the courtyard and took the opportunity to read educational signs about Islamic tenets and culture.  Once it opened for visiting, we joined a long but surprisingly quick line and were able to enter after removing our shoes (they kindly provide plastic bags to carry your shoes) and, in the cases of Geek Girl and Mama Geek, donning head scarves:

Geek Girl and Mama Geek looking pretty in head scarves

The interior of the mosque is gorgeous.  Practically every square inch is covered with lovely tile - white, red, green, and the eponymous blue.  The domes are beautiful, and the light coming through the stained glass windows is really something to behold.

Interior of the mosque with some of the domes.  See the owl?

Gorgeous tile and stonework

I found the chandeliers intriguing - both for themselves and because their supports hanging down from the ceiling made me think of vines in a jungle.  I thought they made the mosque itself seem alive in a way I hadn't expected.

Chandeliers and interior

Interior with chandelier-supporting chains