Istanbul's Blue Mosque was built partly as an effort to show Christians that Ottoman culture could produce something to rival the Hagia Sophia. The architect, Sedefkâr Mehmet Aÿa, was looking to rival the visual experience of Istanbul's famous church. And it is in fact an architectural masterpiece. And it is built so that visitors to the city can see both the mosque and the Hagia Sophia, and can compare the two. The mosque is also one of the most noticeable landmarks in Istanbul, particularly as you stand on the Asian side of the city, along the shore of the Sea of Marmara. If size and location alone don't distinguish it for visitors, its unusual array of six minarets make the mosque unmistakable.
