blue mosque

Istanbul: Blue Mosque, Cistern and Muezzin calls

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Istanbul:  The Blue Mosque, The Basilica Cistern, and Muezzin calls

With a beautiful park between them, Aya Sofya and the Blue Mosque face each other. Sultanahmet Camii is the only mosque outside Mecca with 6 minarets. It’s known as the Blue Mosque because of the 20,000+ blue Iznik tiles decorating it. Respectful visitors are welcome.

Minarets of the Blue Mosque
Minarets of the Blue Mosque

As we approached, we noticed many folks using the dozens of surrounding taps to wash before entering the mosque. Non muslims enter through the back door–shoes removed, ladies’ heads covered with scarves–into a giant room covered in carpet. There was a moth ball smell and a dusty rec-room feel to the visiting area, which also appeared to be where the women worship behind wooden screens. No tiles on their walls and with yellow windows instead of the stained glass. We settled in sitting Indian-style in the visitors section and observed the prayer room in front of us.

Blue Mosque
Blue Mosque
The Blue Mosque
The Blue Mosque

Huge circles of oil/candle holders were held low by massive metal cords. The mihrab has bits of Mecca’s Kaaba black stone–I’d read that, but from our vantage point I couldn’t make it out. There were grandfather clocks, imans in black robes praying, and small kids running around their fathers without a care in the world as kids will do. There are gorgeous stained glass windows and tiles of blue. The dome is painted with blue and gold arabic and patterns of tile. We sat and watched men come in–solo, or in groups of two or with their boys–and do the prayer ritual, bowing forehead to the floor, hands open in submission. Outside again, we stared up at the six decorative white minarets. Birds still catching the breeze between them.

Late that afternoon, we cooled off in the Basilica Cistern–water tunnels under the city. Dark, moist, rainy in parts, giant fish in the water, and a neat little place down there to get a cappucino! There are two Medusa-head stones–big, 5 feet tall. One is upside down and one is sideways to hold two of the columns. No one knows why. Bryan’s theory is, “Probably because they just best fit that way!”

Chimney tops in Istanbul
Chimney tops in Istanbul

So, did I mention that the prayer calls begin moments before daybreak? Loud and clear on speakers. It’s quite shocking to be awakened by that. It always seemed like the little mosque near us won each morning–being the first to declare the coming sunrise. But within the next 10-15 minutes, we’d hear a dozen or more mosques begin the chant in the rounds of “Allah Akbar…” and the dogs would howl.