Mesmerizing mosques of Turkey!

When we think about Turkey, the first couple of things that pop into our mind are the beautiful beaches, the diverse culture and of course an ancient history. This country served many religions throughout the history which left glorious buildings behind. Today, we will be focusing on the most beautiful mosques of Turkey!

…in the ancient Istanbul

The city is so beautiful, that there are loads of poems and songs describing this beautiful mess that we call Istanbul; or as its old names were, Byzantium, Constantinople, Stamboul and many more. Istanbul is mostly famous for its strategic location, its bridges that bring together Asia and Europe, its mosques, the tulips, the seagulls and the Turkish bagels/tea duo. It is also very crowded since it's a big city and definitely it is one of the biggest cultural hub in the entire world. *But what about the mosques? *The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, or Sultan Ahmet Mosque, is an historical mosque that is still in use for Muslim prayers. This Blue Mosque was built between 1609 and 1616 and contains Sultan Ahmet's tomb, a madrasah, a hospice and red carpets for prayers. Inside the mosque, you can get mesmerised by the Turkish handmade and painted blue tiles.

The Süleymaniye Mosque is the second largest mosque and a famous landmark of the city. It was built between 1550-1557 by a genius of the Turkish architecture, Mimar Sinan. It is certainly one of the most beautiful and impressive places to visit, with its gardens and a three-sided forecourt with a central domed ablutions fountain.

Hagia Sophia which means "Holy Wisdom" was a Greek Orthodox Church which turned into an imperial mosque. This pink mosque and its museum were built in 537 and inside the mosque, you can find mihrab, minbar while outside four minarets.

The Ortaköy Mosque was built in 1721 and is another popular tourist attraction of the city, since it's located in the seaside and it has an amazing view of the Bosphorus. This amazing mosque's interior is enriched by carvings. This neo-baroque mosque is definitely worth a visit.

The Rüstem Pasha Mosque is a 16th-century Ottoman Mosque where you can find lots of amazing İznik tiles! Those tiles have a wide variety of floral and geometric designs, which cover the façade of the porch, the mihrab, the minbar and walls. No other mosque in Istanbul has such a big amount of tiles.

The New Mosque was built between 1660-1665 and is located in Eminönü. The façade of the mosque is decorated with İznik tiles. Its location is ideal and offered if you want to check out more historical places around the area, while in İstanbul.

…in the blue Izmir

İzmir is also a city of history, since it hosted many civilizations like the Ionian, Roman Empire and many more! Due to its beautiful location, this city was a great culture and trade hub for ages. If you want to check out a few mosques while there, you can first visit the Hisar Mosque. This historical mosque was built in 1600s and today it is still in use for prayers. It is definitely a living history.

The second stop should be the İsa Bey Mosque. This mosque was constructed in 1374 and it is considered to be the most impressive building from the Anatolian Beylik's era. Inside the mosque, you can get mesmerised by the İznik ceramic tiles and the amazing marble works!

...in the healing Bursa

This rich history city was the first capital city of the Ottoman Empire and it was the city where the Ottomans started their small emirate! However, it's not only the rich history that made the city famous; also its silk, its peaches, its ski resorts, its chestnuts and its thermal baths are some of the things that make the city the perfect place for an awesome weekend escape. Regarding its mosques, Ulucami or the "great mosque" of Bursa was built in 1399. In fact, it is a great example of how the architecture was like, back in the early Ottoman period. It is also known for its calligraphic panels on its walls and columns, but also for the tranquil fountain that can be found within the mosque.

The Green Mosque contains the most beautiful tomb completely covered by tiles inside and out! If you are into tiles and mosaics, it is a definitely must visit place! At the same time, it also has a legendary fountain inside the prayer area and tea gardens with amazing views over the Bursa and Uludağ!

If you want to visit the beautiful mosques of Turkey, find your inspiration in itinari now!