Monument in Ecebat to commemorate WWI battle in the Dardenelles against Winston Churchill
and the British/Aussies/Some soldiers from India, New Zealanders, one American at least we know who died. Note the man in the front carrying a large shell. Long story to this monument. This is a man, Anyit (forgot exactly), his cannon gun unit was wiped out so he carried huge and heavy shells to the gun and shoved the shells in the cannon and fired it himself. All this stirred on by the man at the top of the Monument Mustafah kEmel Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey and hero of military campaigns.
The wishing hole in the red mosque (Ayasofya), twist your had around with your
thumb in the hole and make a wish. I waited in a long line but it was worth it, if my
wish comes true AND it will,
Inside the Ayasofya. Originally a church origins in the 400's AD. Built up over the
centuries. Converted to a mosque by the Ottomons when they captured Istanbul.
The Muslims changed the decor and covered up the images of the church and
changed into their style. It looks from the inside and outside a combination of so many
styles and religions all borrowing from one another and changing it. The hall is cavernous.
We went to the second floor where you could see various Christian mosaics that were reveled when
the plaster of the Moslem works pealed off.
Now a national museum. Amazing!!!
Inside Ayasofya
Ceiling inside the Blue, a still active mosque. Breathtaking.
All these places can be read about, their complex and bizzare histories
can be read about online and in books. I could here some of the english speaking
guides (besides all the other languages, French, German, Japanese etc) and I
could not begin to tell you the tales and weird personalities wars, fires, intrigue
that goes into these places.
Blue mosque from the bottom, looking up
The Red mosque on the outside (Ayasofya)
Inside the Red mosque looking down from the 2nd level, which we went up to in a
steep dark passage way
Inside the Blue Mosque of Istanbul
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