Sultan Ahmet Camii (The Blue Mosque)
>> Monday, February 9, 2009
Sultan Ahmet Camii, which was constructed by the 14th Ottoman Sultan Ahmet I, who ruled between the years of 1603 – 1617, is the greatest and the most splendid mosque of Istanbul. The construction of the mosque was started in 1609 by architect Mehmet Agha, who was a student of Architect Sinan and who undertook the architectural works of the structure and the construction was completed in 1616. The premises consisted of a madrasah, a hospital, an Arasta Bazaar, a school, a mausoleum, a caravansary and a public fountain together with the mosque. The hospital and the caravansary were damaged in 19th century.
Sultan Ahmet Camii is the last impressive structure of Ottoman religious architecture. Although many other mosques were built after this one, none of them reached to the dimension and to the elegance of the decorations of Sultan Ahmet Camii.
The land preffered for the mosque construction was the old Hippodrome, known as Atmeydanı, and was the center of the city since the Byzantine Period. During the preparation of the huge area, many earlier Byzantine and Otoman structures had to be demolished to open a space fort he construction. Among these structures, the Royal Byzantine Palace, remains of the auditorium of the Hippodrome, and palaces of many Ottoman dignitaries can be listed. Its close proximity to the Topkapı Palace was the reason why this area was chosen for the mosque. A very careful selection was mad efor the construction and decoration material.
The 21.043 tile pieces used fort he iner decoration of the mosque were brought from the palace workshop in İznik, the silk carpet on the flor of hundreds of square meters were brought from selected weaving centers, and hundreds of crystal oil lamps used for illuminaton were imported. It is known that the leading administrators of the state donated many valuable gifts, especially the handwritten Korans after the completion of the mosque.
The dimensions of the front courtyard, constructed on a podium arising in the middle of the outer courtyard and the dimensions of the main nave are almost the same size, and it is 72 M x 64 M wide. There are five doors for entrance opening into the outer courtyard. Among these doors, there is a chain hanging above the main entrance.
According to the legend, the reason why this chain was hung, was to have the sultan, who came to the mosque on his horse, to get off his horse and walk in with respect like anyone else. There are three portals that provide access to the inner courtyard, as you climb up the stairs.
There are taps used for ablutions below the North portico of the front courtyard. Furthermore, there is a fountain for ablutions in the middle of the courtyard with 6 corners and 6 columns. 30 small size domes are constructed on a total 26 granite columns.
Sultan Ahmet Camii is the only mosque with 6 minarets in Istanbul and in Turkey, and that make it matchless among other Ottoman Mosques. The minarets placed at the corners of the mosque and the courtyard have a total of 16 balconies. Certain section of some minarets are embellished with blue tiles. According to the legend about the minarets of the mosque, Sultan Ahmet I asked from the architect, Mehmet Ağa, a mosque with a golden minaret. Because of the turkish pronunciation of gold, which is “altın”, is similar to number six in turkish, which is “altı”, architect Mehmet Ağa misunderstood this point, so, the architect preffered a mosque with 6 minarets instead of golden ones, as the cost would be very high. The dimensions of the nave, which almost square planned, are 51 M x 53 M. The architect Mehmet Ağa has no significant innovations in the plan and design of the Ottoman mosques in the Classical Period from the architectural point of view, but the iner decoration of the mosque has the specifications of being eclipsed of the previous Ottoman mosques. Essentially, the reason why the mosque is known as the ‘Blue Mosque’ all over the world is because of the tiles and embellishments, which are mostly in blue and gren colors on the walls and the domes.
The carpet weaving showed progress in Moslem world, as the ‘shalat’ is performed on the floor; whereas the carpet Works did not improve in Christhianity, because the service is followed by the attendants that are seated. Manufacturing tiles is one of the handicrafts that the Turks dealt with since the 12th century. Just like in carpet weaving, in manufacturing tiles, every region has its own design and color differences. The most frequently used designs in the mosques are springs, leaves, calyxes, tulips, roses, hyacinths, carnations, pomegranate flowers and grapes, and geometric patterns to a certain extend.
When you look at the building from the exterior, the structure forms an elegant scene that you never expect from its dimensions.
The main dome, the arches supporting it, all round and angular carrier architectural elements are set up in a complete harmony. All edges and corners, which would not look nice, are rounded, the big carrier elements are softened in a complete sense. The light coming in through the windows placed around the dome, together with the windows covered with stain glass in 5 rows especially through the apse wall, intensifies the beauty of the tiles and decorations. There are total 260 windows in the mosque. The Venetian glasses, which were used in the first construction of the mosque, unfortunately could not stay until today. The diameter of the 43 M high dome reaches to 23.5 M. The diameter of the giant buttresses called elephant feet, which are carrying this giant dome and the elements surrounding it together with the pendentives, is about 5 M. Under two of these columns, which are nearby the entrance, there are taps for ablutions. The old writtings embellishingthe walls and columns together with the central dome of the mosque and the conches are the works of an artist named Seyid Kasım Bubari from Diyarbakır and these are various verses of Koran and the substantial sayings of Prophet Muhammad saw (the hadeeth).
Until a recent time, the precious handmade carpets in various colors and design, which completely covered the entire flor of the mosque were unfortunately exchanged with machine made carpets.
The wood benches in the mosque were placed to leave the shoes on, in case there is no place at the outer shelves. The galleries at the three sides of the mosque, expect the wall pointing south-east, are for the use of women and religious meetings.
The monumental burial in front of the mosque was built by Sultan Osman II, son of Sultan Ahmet I, in it there is the grave of Sultan Ahmet I, besides the grave of Osman II and Murat IV. Moreover, Kösem Mahpeyker Sultan, wife of Ahmet I and whom was loved so much by him, is also buried at the same place. Other than these, there are thirty two more burials belonging to the royal family members.
Sultan Ahmet Camii is the last impressive structure of Ottoman religious architecture. Although many other mosques were built after this one, none of them reached to the dimension and to the elegance of the decorations of Sultan Ahmet Camii.
The land preffered for the mosque construction was the old Hippodrome, known as Atmeydanı, and was the center of the city since the Byzantine Period. During the preparation of the huge area, many earlier Byzantine and Otoman structures had to be demolished to open a space fort he construction. Among these structures, the Royal Byzantine Palace, remains of the auditorium of the Hippodrome, and palaces of many Ottoman dignitaries can be listed. Its close proximity to the Topkapı Palace was the reason why this area was chosen for the mosque. A very careful selection was mad efor the construction and decoration material.
The 21.043 tile pieces used fort he iner decoration of the mosque were brought from the palace workshop in İznik, the silk carpet on the flor of hundreds of square meters were brought from selected weaving centers, and hundreds of crystal oil lamps used for illuminaton were imported. It is known that the leading administrators of the state donated many valuable gifts, especially the handwritten Korans after the completion of the mosque.
The dimensions of the front courtyard, constructed on a podium arising in the middle of the outer courtyard and the dimensions of the main nave are almost the same size, and it is 72 M x 64 M wide. There are five doors for entrance opening into the outer courtyard. Among these doors, there is a chain hanging above the main entrance.
According to the legend, the reason why this chain was hung, was to have the sultan, who came to the mosque on his horse, to get off his horse and walk in with respect like anyone else. There are three portals that provide access to the inner courtyard, as you climb up the stairs.
There are taps used for ablutions below the North portico of the front courtyard. Furthermore, there is a fountain for ablutions in the middle of the courtyard with 6 corners and 6 columns. 30 small size domes are constructed on a total 26 granite columns.
Sultan Ahmet Camii is the only mosque with 6 minarets in Istanbul and in Turkey, and that make it matchless among other Ottoman Mosques. The minarets placed at the corners of the mosque and the courtyard have a total of 16 balconies. Certain section of some minarets are embellished with blue tiles. According to the legend about the minarets of the mosque, Sultan Ahmet I asked from the architect, Mehmet Ağa, a mosque with a golden minaret. Because of the turkish pronunciation of gold, which is “altın”, is similar to number six in turkish, which is “altı”, architect Mehmet Ağa misunderstood this point, so, the architect preffered a mosque with 6 minarets instead of golden ones, as the cost would be very high. The dimensions of the nave, which almost square planned, are 51 M x 53 M. The architect Mehmet Ağa has no significant innovations in the plan and design of the Ottoman mosques in the Classical Period from the architectural point of view, but the iner decoration of the mosque has the specifications of being eclipsed of the previous Ottoman mosques. Essentially, the reason why the mosque is known as the ‘Blue Mosque’ all over the world is because of the tiles and embellishments, which are mostly in blue and gren colors on the walls and the domes.
The carpet weaving showed progress in Moslem world, as the ‘shalat’ is performed on the floor; whereas the carpet Works did not improve in Christhianity, because the service is followed by the attendants that are seated. Manufacturing tiles is one of the handicrafts that the Turks dealt with since the 12th century. Just like in carpet weaving, in manufacturing tiles, every region has its own design and color differences. The most frequently used designs in the mosques are springs, leaves, calyxes, tulips, roses, hyacinths, carnations, pomegranate flowers and grapes, and geometric patterns to a certain extend.
When you look at the building from the exterior, the structure forms an elegant scene that you never expect from its dimensions.
The main dome, the arches supporting it, all round and angular carrier architectural elements are set up in a complete harmony. All edges and corners, which would not look nice, are rounded, the big carrier elements are softened in a complete sense. The light coming in through the windows placed around the dome, together with the windows covered with stain glass in 5 rows especially through the apse wall, intensifies the beauty of the tiles and decorations. There are total 260 windows in the mosque. The Venetian glasses, which were used in the first construction of the mosque, unfortunately could not stay until today. The diameter of the 43 M high dome reaches to 23.5 M. The diameter of the giant buttresses called elephant feet, which are carrying this giant dome and the elements surrounding it together with the pendentives, is about 5 M. Under two of these columns, which are nearby the entrance, there are taps for ablutions. The old writtings embellishingthe walls and columns together with the central dome of the mosque and the conches are the works of an artist named Seyid Kasım Bubari from Diyarbakır and these are various verses of Koran and the substantial sayings of Prophet Muhammad saw (the hadeeth).
Until a recent time, the precious handmade carpets in various colors and design, which completely covered the entire flor of the mosque were unfortunately exchanged with machine made carpets.
The wood benches in the mosque were placed to leave the shoes on, in case there is no place at the outer shelves. The galleries at the three sides of the mosque, expect the wall pointing south-east, are for the use of women and religious meetings.
The monumental burial in front of the mosque was built by Sultan Osman II, son of Sultan Ahmet I, in it there is the grave of Sultan Ahmet I, besides the grave of Osman II and Murat IV. Moreover, Kösem Mahpeyker Sultan, wife of Ahmet I and whom was loved so much by him, is also buried at the same place. Other than these, there are thirty two more burials belonging to the royal family members.
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