Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque & Suleymaniye Mosque: Small Group Walking Tour

Delve into Istanbul’s religious art and architecture on a tour of the city’s most beloved places of worship.

First, head to the Sultanahmet area to see the epic Hagia Sophia. Built in the sixth century A.D. by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, this famous mosque was originally an Orthodox Christian cathedral in early Constantinople (now Istanbul). In its nearly 1,500 years, this iconic landmark has been used as a Catholic church, mosque, and museum.

Next, head to the beautiful Blue Mosque. Originally named The Sultan Ahmed Mosque after the man who built it. In the early 1600s, mosques were built only by sultans who had achieved success in war.

The final stop is Suleymaniye Mosque. Located on the Third Hill of Istanbul, the Suleymaniye was the largest mosque in the city for more than 450 year,s before it was dethroned in 2019. This monumental mosque was also designed by the renowned architect Mimar Sinan, a towering figure in Istanbul’s architectural history.