
The magnificent building is located directly opposite the Hagia Sophia church in Istanbul. Construction began in 1609 and ended in 1616. According to tradition, Sultan Ahmed I wanted the minarets to be made of gold. In Turkish, gold is called "altan". But the architect got it wrong, hearing "alti", which means "six". Thus, 6 minarets were built, instead of the planned 4. The Sultan liked the minarets very much and forgave the architect's mistake.