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The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque was built in 1616. It was created by Sultan Ahmet I. He ordered his chief royal architect, Mehmet Aga to build an imposing mosque that was across the former Byzantine church, Hagia Sophia. Sultan Ahmet I ruled over the Ottoman Empire from 1603-1617. It was one of the last classical Ottoman structures. The mosque's development program, which included innovative architectural and ornamental elements, and its symbolic location at the city's imperial center indicated a break from the classical tradition.

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The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is located in the city of Istanbul in the country, Turkey. The official language spoken in Turkey is Turkish, but English is widely spoken in Istanbul. In Turkey, the main legislative body is a 600 member parliament, which is called the Grand National Assembly. Turkey now has a President that went through changes resulting from the 2017 referendum. It allowed the President to appoint a cabinet, form and regulate ministries, declare a state of emergency for up to six months, and draft the budget.

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The area of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque follows the Sunni branch of the Islam religion. The U.S. government estimates that the total population of Turkey is at 82.5 million people. According to the Turkish government, 99 percent of the population is Muslim and approximately 78 percent of which is Sunni.

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One of the most popular festivals is the Istanbul Tulip Festival. The tulip became a symbol of nobility in the Ottoman Empire, and Turkish people brought them to Europe in the 16th century. Every year since 2015, the local authorities have planted millions of tulips in the parks and streets of Istanbul. The flowers blossom in late March, which makes a display of color for about a month.

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Another celebrated festival is the Ramazan Festival. This takes place during Ramadan. The days are dedicated to fasting and contemplation, while the evenings are full of colorful festivities and feasting. It continues for three days and becomes a very popular tourist spot.

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In the late 11th century, the wandering Turkish people converted to Islam after being conquered by the powerful Muslim Empire from modern-day Iran. As they rose within the ranks of the Muslim armies, the Turkish people eventually formed their own power base and began the Seljuk Empire. On Nov 1, 1922, the Ottoman Sultanate was replaced by the Republic of Turkey.

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Cattermole, Paul, editor. “Sultan Ahmet Mosque.” Architectural Excellence: 500 Iconic Buildings, 1st ed., Greene Media, 2008. Credo Reference, https://search.credoreference.com/articles/Qm9va0FydGljbGU6Mzk1MTcyNA==?aid=17531.

Dalal, Radha, "The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii)," in Smarthistory, August 8, 2015, accessed July 27, 2024, https://smarthistory.org/the-blue-mosque-sultan-ahmet-camii/.

Dewdney, John C. and Yapp, Malcolm Edward. "Turkey". Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Jul. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/place/Turkey.

“Islam.” Exploring the Religions of Our World, by Nancy Clemmons, Ave Maria Press, 1999, pp. 136-147.

“Turkey.” U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State, 2021, www.state.gov/reports/2021-report-on-international-religious-freedom/turkey/#:~:text=Religious%20Demography,of%20which%20is%20Hanafi%20Sunni.