Built between 1609 and 1616 by architect Sedefkar Mehmed Ağa for Sultan Ahmed I, the Sultanahmet Mosque is known worldwide as the 'Blue Mosque' for the thousands of hand-painted blue and green İznik tiles lining its interior.

With its six minarets, the mosque is one of the most recognizable silhouettes on Istanbul's skyline, and its central dome surrounded by cascading half-domes represents one of the finest examples of classical Ottoman mosque architecture. Light filtering through more than 260 windows constantly shifts the mood of the interior throughout the day.

Still an active place of worship, the mosque is open to visitors outside of prayer times. Just steps from Soie Boutique Hotel, the Blue Mosque is at the top of nearly every visitor's list in Istanbul.