The Blue Mosque

Wednesday was a little gloomy. Russell was getting hit with a cold and we were sad that our travels were coming to an end. We set out to enjoy the day without overdoing it.

After a delicious Turkish breakfast, we headed to the Blue Mosque, only to find it closed for prayers. So we headed to the Hagia Irene nearby. Built in the 6th century, Hagia Irene is only one of two Byzantine churches in Istanbul that were never converted into mosques. After the conquest in 1453, it was used as an arsenal and warehouse. Currently, is it used as a concert hall, although there appear to be extensive repairs going on. It was interesting to walk around, although there wasn’t much context.

We walked around and got another glimpse of Hagia Sophia, which is close by.

We then returned to the Blue Mosque. The dress code is strictly enforced; they provide headscarves and leg coverings for those not properly dressed.

We went through the visitors entrance and took off our shoes, as required. The interior is spectacular. The official name is Sultan Ahmed Mosque, but is called the Blue Mosque as that is the predominant color used in the decor. Emily’s tile obsession only grew during this visit.

The visiting area had a desk to ask questions about Islam, and in the courtyard there was a display about the Quran, but overall there was not a lot of proselytizing.

After our visit to the Blue Mosque, we walked through the Grand Bazaar a bit. Though we were invited in to many shops, we did not buy anything. Our food guide Ali told us the the Grand Bazaar is mostly good for backgammon sets and high quality fake brand names. We had a snack of grilled corn, which is sold on just about every street corner, and did some shopping at the Spice Market before heading back for a rest.