Istanbul is a magnificent city with enchanted beauty, a plethora of landmarks, and significant historical value. The Sultan Ahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque) is a must-see attraction for anyone visiting this beautiful city. It is one of the city’s most well-known sights, situated in the Fatih district and surrounded by Byzantine and Ottoman ancient sites.
The Blue Mosque gets its name from the fact that it is ornamented on the inside with over 21,000 white and blue porcelain pieces from 50 different species coming from Iznik and Kutahya. The Sultan Ahmet Mosque was the first Ottoman mosque to incorporate a corridor that connected the Sultan’s Palace to the forum, where the Sultan and his entourage worshipped.
Sultan Ahmet Mosque has gotten a lot of attention from the Turkish government and the Ministry of Tourism because it is one of the most important attractions for travellers from all over the world and one of Turkey’s most visited mosques.
There have been several restorations, the most recent of which began in 2017 and has so far been completed to the tune of more than 30%. The restorations will restore the mosque’s structure and organise its facilities so that it can accommodate tourists while also fulfilling its purpose as a mosque by accepting worshippers.
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Blue Mosque Restorations
One of the repair projects is to improve the aesthetics and durability of the mosque’s two main minarets while maintaining their original architecture and look. The more than 400-year-old mosaic hardwood doors in the mosque courtyard are undergoing restoration work. Part of the restoration work includes cleaning the decorations on the main dome of the 17th-century mosque. Archaeologists and engineers are supervised by specialist artisans.
According to Mr Mursel Sari, director of Istanbul’s first region endowments, unclean groundwater drainage lines were uncovered beneath the mosque. The staff has begun cleaning up the area and is continuously doing so.
During the renovation of the Blue Mosque, lead metal was used to replace 26 small domes and 30 columns in the lobby. The main dome, which is 43 metres tall, is currently being repaired. All cleaning is performed using specialised instruments, such as a surgeon’s scalpel, and with the same level of precision as the treatments.