They face each other across Sultanahmet Square, about five minutes apart on foot, so you can easily see both. If you only have time for one, pick Hagia Sophia for almost 1,500 years in one building: Justinian’s dome, Byzantine mosaics and Ottoman calligraphy. Pick the Blue Mosque for its more than 20,000 Iznik tiles, its six minarets and a visit that costs nothing.
| Hagia Sophia | Blue Mosque | |
|---|---|---|
| Built | 537, as a cathedral | 1609 to 1617, as a mosque |
| Today | A mosque again since 2020, after 86 years as a museum | A working mosque, for over 400 years |
| Entry | Paid for international visitors, who enter through the upper gallery | Free |
| Look for | The floating dome, the Deesis mosaic, the giant calligraphy discs | The Iznik tiles, the six minarets, the domes seen from the courtyard |
| Dress code | Shoulders and knees covered; women cover their hair | Shoulders and knees covered, shoes off; headscarves at the entrance |
Hagia Sophia was built in 537 as a Byzantine cathedral, became a mosque in 1453, a museum in 1934 and a mosque again in 2020. The Blue Mosque, officially the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, was built as a mosque between 1609 and 1617, partly to rival Hagia Sophia, and takes its nickname from its blue Iznik tiles.
Neither; they are different. Hagia Sophia has the longer history and the more famous dome. The Blue Mosque has the more colourful interior and is free to enter. They stand across the square from each other, so seeing both is easy.
Yes. They are about five minutes apart on foot. Plan around prayer times, when the Blue Mosque closes to visitors for about 90 minutes.
Yes. Both guides are free to listen to on the web, with no account, and each comes with a map of the place.
Facts from Mappu’s guides to Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Checked on .
