Istanbul - Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque)

The southeast side of Atmeydani in Istanbul is dominated by the Sultan Ahmet Mosque or Blue Mosque with its mighty dome (43m/141ft high, 23.5m/77ft in diameter) and six minarets, built by Sultan Ahmet I in 1609-16. The forecourt, with a beautiful fountain in the center, is surrounded by colonnades roofed with a series of small domes. The interior (72m/235ft by 64m/210ft), in its lightness, spatial effect and color, is one of the finest creations of Turkish architecture.