Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Suleymaniye Mosque. On this tour of the mosques of Istanbul, we'll visit some of the most important religious landmarks of the Old City - a reflection of the cultural influence of the many empires that ruled over this region.
Istanbul Mosque Tour
We'll meet at the German Fountain in Sultanahmet at the scheduled time to begin our tour of the mosques of Istanbul. Are you ready to discover the most important religious buildings of the Old City? Off we go!
First, we'll walk to the first mosque on our tour- Hagia Sophia. Built in the 6th century AD by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, this temple was an Orthodox Christian cathedral in the early days of ancient Constantinople. In its nearly 1,500 years of life, this landmark building has been used as a Catholic church, a mosque, and even a museum! Your guide will explain all about the exterior of the mosque and then you'll be able to go inside and tour it on your own with an audio guide.
Our next stop will be the Blue Mosque, originally called the Sultan Ahmed Mosque - did you know that many consider it to be the finest work of Ottoman architecture? It's no wonder! Today, it's called the Blue Mosque because of the shade of the tiles that decorate its interior with geometric patterns.
The last visit will be to the Suleymaniye Mosque, the largest mosque in Istanbul for more than 450 years. Beyond its impressive dimensions, this temple is also known for its builder, the renowned Mimar Sinan, chief Ottoman architect and civil engineer during the times of Suleiman the Magnificent, Selim II, and Murad III.
After a 4-hour tour of Istanbul's mosques, we'll bid farewell at the meeting point.
Tour without entrance to the Hagia Sophia Basilica
When making your reservation, you can choose the tour without a ticket to the Hagia Sophia Basilica. If you choose this option, you must purchase it on your own well in advance.
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