Turkey , a jewel of the world , that has cultural treasures inherited through the ages . Turkey , a modern and developed country , with a history and ancient civilization , with its exceptional nature geographically and climatically , where the climate of Turkey is characterized by diversity , and because of the large area and the diversity of nature and topography of Turkish cities , it is located in the middle of the world , and it is divided with its wide area on the continents of Asia and Europe , combining the originality of the East with the modernity of the West . Turkey is a history , a present and a future of human legacy , the convergence of Mediterranean civilizations with Asian and European civilizations , and the convergence of the Muslim community with Western society . Visitors of Turkey will not be fed up with a moment of wandering around Turkish cities and markets , and will not lose sight of its monuments and cultural attracts .
To learn more about Turkey , read the following article about Turkey : General information about Turkey
Turkey , the country of Islamic successions and the Ottoman Empire , has many ancient mosques , and a visit to the country is not complete without a walk around mosques , with impressive artistic architecture . The Republic of Turkey is known for its large number of mosques , which is famous for its high-level architecture in the design of mosques . In Turkey in general , according to the recent statistics , there are about 84 thousand and 684 mosques . The city of Istanbul is the most host city for mosques in Turkey , where it hosts about 3684 mosques , followed by the city of Konya with 3115 mosques , and then the capital Ankara with 2955 mosques .
One of the most famous mosques in Turkey , which is popular with tourists from all over the world , is Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul . Sultan Ahmed Mosque is one of the largest mosques in Turkey . Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul is rated as the most beautiful and the largest mosque in Turkey .
Sultan Ahmed Mosque is known as the Blue Mosque , relative to the blue tiles that adorn its walls , where the walls of the mosque covered by 21043 ceramic tiles , combining more than fifty designs , and painted decorations occupy every part of the mosque , and the blue color of the atmosphere of the mosque inside gives a strong sense of control of this color . The Blue Mosque is considered as one of the finest monuments in the world , and the image of the mosque was placed on the Turkish currency of 500 Lira between 1953 and 1967 .
The decision to construct this mosque was issued by the Ottoman Sultan Ahmed I ( 1590 - 1617 ) , and it was completed on January 4 , 1610 . Sultan Ahmed himself came and made the first ax strike in the construction of the mosque . Sultan Ahmed Mosque was the first Sultan Mosque to be built in more than forty years . It was built under the supervision of Engineer Muhammad Agha , one of the famous architectural " Sinan " students .
Sultan Ahmed Mosque has six minarets , and its interior walls are filled with many Qur'anic verses engraved , in the most beautiful Arabic calligraphy and creativity . Sultan Ahmed Mosque is named after the Blue Mosque in relation to the glamorous blue color that adorns the Qur'anic manuscripts inside the mosque . Like many mosques in Turkey , Sultanahmet Mosque houses a cemetery for Sultan Ahmed , a religious education school , a hospital for the disabled and others .
In addition to being one of the most important tourist attractions in Istanbul , the mosque also abounds with the movement of worshipers in the five times of prayer , Friday prayers , and Taraweeh prayers in the holy month of Ramadan .
Sultan Ahmed Mosque is magnificent in size , design and luxury , and it is considered as one of the most beautiful mosques , not only in Turkey , but in the whole Islamic world , and it enjoys a great admiration and interest from Turks and Arab and foreign tourists . It is located in the Old City of Istanbul , south of the Hagia Sophia Museum , and east of the Byzantine Hippodrome , it is located on the Marmara Sea , opposite the Hagia Sophia Museum .
Hagia Sophia Museum is one of the most beautiful architectural monuments in Istanbul , this place , which combines sanctity and luxury , which was a Christian cathedral , and when the Islamic conquest arrived in the city of Istanbul they converted it into a mosque , but after the end of Ottoman rule in Istanbul it became a historical museum . Hagia Sophia Museum and Mosque is located opposite Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Fatih area , on the European section of Istanbul .
Hagia Sophia Mosque and Museum , is one of the most beautiful tourist places in Istanbul , and in Sultan Ahmed area . Hagia Sophia Museum is one of the most famous Christian churches in the Byzantine era , where Emperor Justin began to build the church in 532 AD , and completed its construction after 5 years , In 537 AD , Hagia Sophia remained one of the most famous and oldest churches in Istanbul , for about 916 years , until Mehmed Al Fatih changed it from church to mosque when the Ottomans conquered Constantinople , and built a mosque for 481 years . In 1934 , the founder of the Turkish Republic , Mustafa Kemal Ataturk , converted it to Hagia Sophia Museum , which collects Christian and Islamic art and decoration .
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque ( Blue Mosque ) and Hagia Sophia Museum , both are located on the European side of Istanbul , in the historic Fatih area , and Fatih area is one of the first established areas in Istanbul . Fatih area contains many traces of civilizations and cultures , that have been annexed for thousands of years through time , and it is the most important historical , tourist and commercial center in Istanbul .
Fatih area of Istanbul has a large number of archaeological and historical places , starting from Fawzi Pasa Street , the most important street in Fatih area , which contains many shops , restaurants and cafes . As for the Fatih Mosque , Sultan Mehmet the Fatih ordered it to be built on the most beautiful hills of Istanbul , by the famous architect Sinan Pasha .
Fatih area is one of the areas overlooking the famous Bosphorus . The Bosphorus is a waterway that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara , and it divides the city of Istanbul into two parts , one part in the European continent and the other part within the Asian continent .
The importance of all the straits in the world lies in their economic and political role , especially since the Strait may sometimes be the only way out for many sea routes , and the Bosphorus in Istanbul is of great importance in reviving the economy of Turkey and Istanbul .
The Bosphorus Strait is also called the Istanbul Strait , because it is located in the heart of Istanbul , Turkey . The Bosphorus has two major ports in Istanbul . In the western part of the city there is the " Golden Horn " which is its western port , while in the eastern part there is the port " Haydarpasa " which is located in the Asian part of Istanbul .
To learn about the Bosphorus bridges in Istanbul , read the following article : The Bosphorus , and the beautiful bridges of Istanbul