Avoid the crowds and deep dive into Istanbul’s mosques by knowing when to go, what to wear, and how to behave once you’re inside.
You’ve bought your plane tickets and booked your hotel–it’s time to think about what to see in Istanbul. A visit to a mosque is a must, and the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque in the former Ottoman capital of Sultanahmet are the most famous. They’re the ones everyone wants to visit–but the queues can stretch forever. Here’s what you need to know before you go.
Tickets and Entry
You need to pay to visit the gallery of the Hagia Sophia (practicing Muslims can enter the main hall for free) and Kariyer Camii (Chora Mosque) in Fatih, but usually, there’s no charge to visit mosques in Turkey.
Tickets for both mosques are available to purchase online. If the Hagia Sophia is on your list, definitely get a ticket in advance. Chora visitor numbers are lower, so you can just buy tickets at the entrance. Each mosque contains stunning mosaics and frescoes dating to as early as the 6th century. Look out for a runic inscription believed to have been made by a Viking on the balustrade in the Hagia Sophia, and allow plenty of time to take in the intricate biblical scenes adorning the barrel vaults, domes, and double narthex in Chora. Unlike the Hagia Sophia, Chora is closed to visitors on Fridays.
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What to Wear
Men and women should wear tops covering their upper arms and pants reaching below the knees. Women have to cover their hair, so it’s a good idea to pop a scarf or shawl in your bag before you leave your hotel. It’s also useful in spring and autumn when temperatures are changeable or if you visit neighborhoods where women dress more conservatively and wearing revealing tops is less common.
You can buy disposable head scarves at Hagia Sophia as well as skirts. Some mosques have scarves and loose elastic-waisted pants called şalvar you can put on, usually free of charge, but don’t expect the latest fashions.
A Note on Footwear (and Removing Your Shoes)
You’ll need to take your shoes off before you enter a mosque, which can be a bit tricky. Occasionally, there’s a ledge to sit on or some low stools, but more usually, there’s a woven mat to stand on or just uncovered flagstones. The main thing to remember is to remove your footwear without touching the ground in your socks or bare feet and never, ever walk on the carpet in your shoes.
Most of the time, there are shelves or cupboards where you can leave your footwear. Unless signs indicate otherwise, it’s usually safe to do so. However, keeping a bag with you to pop your shoes in is a good idea. Larger structures have more than one doorway, and this way, you can exit wherever you want.
In winter, wear thick socks and sturdy footwear. Mosque interiors can be extremely cold underfoot despite the carpets. Good walking boots provide protection against Istanbul’s cobblestone streets and often uneven pavements.
Mosque Entrances
Depending on the mosque design, there can be separate entries for men and women. The men enter the main hall, and the women go to a different part of the building. Sometimes, their view is obscured by tight lattice screens, while at other times, women get a sweeping vista, like in Büyük Çamlıca Mosque in the Üsküdar district. It feels more like a private club than a mosque with small family groups of sisters, mothers, cousins, and aunties chatting and taking selfies after prayers while kids play chasings and other games.
Outside official prayer times, female tourists are normally welcome to enter the main sections and take photos, provided it’s done discreetly.
How to Behave in a Mosque
Lesser touristed mosques like Zühtü Paşa in Kızıltoprak offer stunning photo opportunities but it’s important to be thoughtful. Mosques are places of worship, not simply backdrops for selfies. The individuals present might be going through a tough time, seeking solace from their grief or answering their prayers.
Respect signs stating where visitors can and can’t go, and if for some reason you’re asked to leave (as can happen in smaller neighborhood mosques when a funeral is about to take place), then do just that.
Lastly, if there are men praying during your visit, be aware many believe their supplications are negated when a woman walks in front of them.
How to Prioritize Your Visits and Visiting Hours
In Islam, devout Muslims are required to perform namaz, a set of prayers accompanied by specific gestures, five times a day. In mosques more frequented by tourists, visitors are required to wait outside until the prayer service ends. In other mosques, non-worshippers are allowed to sit quietly inside behind the congregation, but this is less common nowadays.
The first prayer takes place before sunrise, and the last one falls in the evening. However, prayer times are determined by the movement of the sun, meaning the timetable changes daily throughout the year. Check prayer times for Istanbul beforehand so you aren’t caught out.
The Busiest Times
In the past few years, Istanbul has become a year-round destination. Easter is particularly busy with Europeans taking city breaks, and winter sees retirees from all over the world along with Middle Eastern tourists, the latter combining visits to the snow with shopping.
As the best-known of all Istanbul’s mosques, the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosques attract the highest numbers of worshippers and tourists alike. Being on the cruise ship roster sees Sultanahmet Square teem with tourist buses from around 9 am, but once inside, the larger groups tend to whip through things pretty quickly. If you can, time your entry just after a big group; chances are they’ll finish long before you do.
Mosques are always busier on Fridays than on other days. Believers attend Friday lunchtime prayers, in particular, as part of a collective act to show their devotion to Allah is more important than anything else in their lives.
Every night during the fasting month of Ramadan, the numbers of mosques swell, and believers recite special prayers. On Kadir Gecesi (the Night of Power), they’re especially full of people who stay and pray through the night. Kurban Bayramı or Eid Al-Adha, the religious sacrifice holiday, is another busy time for mosques. The dates for all of them is determined by the Hijri Calendar. Unlike the Georgian calendar, the Hijri consists of either 354 or 355 days. This means these religious events fall 11 days earlier each year so check whether this will impact your planned visit.
Other Mosques to Visit Beyond the Tourist Centres
If what you see in the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque piques your appetite for Turkey’s religious architecture, you’re in the right place. There are more than 3000 mosques in Istanbul, ranging from converted former Byzantine churches to modern space-age designs, adorned with exquisite hand-painted tiles and finely crafted woodwork, offering mesmerizing views of the city. Aficionados will want to add Rüstem Paşa near the Spice Bazaar, the magnificent Süleymaniye designed by famous Ottoman court architect Mimar Sinan, the Marmara Üniversitesi Fakültesi Ilhayat next to Capitol Shopping Centre on the Asian side and the historical Eyüp Sultan on the Golden Horn, to their list.
Asking for Directions in Turkey
You won’t always find people who speak English outside the tourist areas in Istanbul. If you do lose your way, don’t be afraid to ask for directions, but remember, most Turks go by landmarks, so telling them the street you want probably won’t help. Instead, have the name of the cami (mosque) written down. That way, you can show them where you want to go without having to worry about pronunciation.
When You Need a Bathroom Break
There’s nothing worse than being in need of a bathroom while out sightseeing and not knowing where to go. Luckily, the majority of mosques in Istanbul have toilets. These days a lot of them are free to use but if not, the entry fee’s only around 50 cents. Always carry your own toilet paper or tissues and hand sanitizer, just in case. Local mosques don’t always supply them; when they do, there’s no guarantee they won’t run out.
Toilets come in two styles: traditional squat toilets and the more familiar standard ones. Generally, the facilities are clean although the floors can be wet, but it’s not what you think. Muslim worshippers perform ritual ablutions before prayers, and often the women’s şardıvan (ablutions fountain) is located inside the toilet block, unlike the men’s one located outside in the courtyard.
