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The Blue Mosque or the Sultan Ahmet Mosque is considered by many to be the greatest feat of Ottoman architecture. In what turned out to be a vital departure from the past, the mosque was built after the Ottoman failures in the wars against the Persians and Austrians. Construction began in 1609 and ended in 1617.
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“Anyone who looks after and works for a widow and a poor person is like a warrior fighting for Allah?s cause, or like a person who fasts during the day and prays all night. (Bukhari)
It is popularly called the “Blue Mosque” – it is associated with more than 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles with more than 50 individual projects with amazing green, turquoise and blue hues. The motifs of many tiles include fruits, roses, and trees — perhaps in an attempt to evoke images of abundant paradise.
The main architect was Sedefekar Mehmet Agha, who sought great size, splendor and splendor as an ode to his master Mimar Sinan, the greatest Ottoman architect.
To emphasize the civilization succession in Istanbul, part of the mosque is built on what would be the Byzantine Grand Palace. Some parts of the racetrack also had to be removed. It was probably built in front of Hagia Sophia – as a way to emphasize the superiority of Islamic civilization over the Christian world.
The mosque was built with six minarets – this apparently caused some controversy, since the mosque of Mecca also had the same amount as Sultan Ahmet I (who called it) decided to build another one there.
READ MORE: The importance and role of the mosque in Islam
An iron chain hangs at the entrance to the court on the west side. Since only the sultan was allowed to ride a horse, and he would have to lower his head in order not to fall into it, it was a symbolic gesture that ensured the humility of the ruler to Allah.
Despite the greatness of the mosque, its construction was a bad omen for the Ottoman Empire. Traditionally, large-scale architectural projects will be put into operation only after successful wars. But the Blue Mosque was the first major construction project funded by the state treasury, and not by military loot. Many historians consider this a sign of the Ottoman Empire, which is entering a period of stagnation, which was characterized by complacency.
Video from Hikma History with a review of the history of the mosque:
Link: Hikma Story
