The Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet Camii (or Mosque of Sultan Ahmet), in Istanbul, was a defiant and brazen attempt by Sultan Ahmet I to up-stage Justinian and the Ayasofya Camii. Istanbul was wracked with controversy over the mosque's six minarets, the same number as at Mecca. Ahmet, the sixth Sultan after the Turkish conquest of Istanbul, was determined to retain six minarets on his mosque in Istanbul, and overcame the problem by providing the resources to construct a seventh minaret at Mecca. The impressive silhouette of the mosque and the stunning blue Iznik tiles of the interior are unforgettable.

Istanbul's Sultanahmet Camii is one of the many Istanbul sights and activities that await your vist. Look through a selection of the grand Istanbul hotels and plan your trip soon.