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Event Horizon - Astronomical and Terrestrial Images

Home > Adventures Abroad > Turkey 2006 > Istanbul - Kandilli Observatory, Blue Mosque and Basilica Cistern, 3/30/2006 Last additions - Istanbul - Kandilli Observatory, Blue Mosque and Basilica Cistern, 3/30/2006 Upside-down Medusa Head451 viewsWhy is this head placed upside-down? Legend says that it was to ward off the evil power of the Medusa's gaze, which turned people to stone. Did people really think that a marble carving could have such powers? Or was there a more practical reason?Sep 20, 2019 Medusa Heads413 viewsThere are two marble Medusa heads in the Basilica Cistern, both used as column pedestals. Their origin is unknown. This one is upside-down.Sep 20, 2019 Column Capital424 viewsThe Basilica Cistern was constructed with columns salvaged from ruins of older buildings, brought to Constantinople from all parts of the Roman Empire.Sep 20, 2019 Entertainment Value457 viewsThe Basilica Cistern has been featured in a number of movies, including the James Bond thriller From Russia With Love, in which Bond took advantage of its location under the Soviet Consulate to get access to a cryptographic machine. In reality, the Consulate is nowhere near the Cistern.Sep 20, 2019 Walkways399 viewsOriginally the only way to navigate around the Basilica Cistern was by boat. The platforms and walkways were built for the tourist trade, and the Cistern is left mostly empty for the same reason.Sep 20, 2019 Basilica Cistern463 viewsThis huge underground cistern was built in the reign of Justinian (527-565 AD) to provide a filtered water supply for the Imperial Palace and surrounding area.Sep 20, 2019 Richmond Hotel Lobby434 viewsLocated on Istiklal Street in the Beyoĝlu district of Istanbul, the Richmond was well-placed to optimize our navigation of the city.Sep 20, 2019 Sideways Medusa Head451 viewsIt is thought that this Medusa head was placed sideways because only that orientation made it the right height to support the column which it supported.Sep 20, 2019 Supporting columns398 views336 marble columns support the ceiling of the Cistern. Each column is 9 metres (30 ft) high. They are arranged in 12 rows of 28 columns spaced 5 metres (16 ft) apart.Sep 20, 2019 The Hen's Eye Column376 viewsA column engraved with raised pictures of a hen's eye, slanted branches, and tears. Legend says that the tears pay tribute to the many slaves who died during the construction of the Cistern.Sep 20, 2019 Sultan Ahmet Square393 viewsAt the end of the square opposite the Obelisk of Theodosius I, seen in the foreground, stands the Walled Obelisk, built in the 10th century by the Byszantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus. The Walled Obelisk was originally covered with bronze plaques, but these were plundered by the Latin occupiers during the Fourth Crusade, and now only the stone core remains.Sep 20, 2019 The Blue Mosque367 viewsThe Blue Mosque was built on the site of the Grand Palace of the Byzantine Emperors. Sultan Ahmed, who caused it to be built, felt it necessary to reassert the might and grandeur of the Ottoman Empire in a time of serious military reverses during the early 17th century.Sep 20, 2019 35 files on 3 page(s) 1 2 3 Debug Info  Debug Output: show / hide Select All USER: ------------------ Array ( [ID] => c7f050f9e835ebb485af60db1af013d0 [am] => 1 ) ========================== USER DATA: ------------------ Array ( [user_id] => 0 [user_name] => Guest [groups] => Array ( [0] => 3 ) [group_quota] => 0 [can_rate_pictures] => 1 [can_send_ecards] => 0 [can_post_comments] => 0 [can_upload_pictures] => 0 [can_create_albums] => 0 [pub_upl_need_approval] => 1 [priv_upl_need_approval] => 1 [access_level] => 3 [disk_max] => 0 [disk_min] => 0 [has_admin_access] => 0 [group_name] => Guests [can_create_public_albums] => 0 [can_see_all_albums] => 0 [group_id] => 3 [allowed_albums] => Array ( ) ) ========================== Queries: ------------------ Array ( [0] => SELECT name, value FROM cm_config [include/init.inc.php:177] (0.87 ms) [1] => SELECT * FROM cm_plugins ORDER BY priority [include/plugin_api.inc.php:48] (0.44 ms) [2] => SELECT MAX(group_quota) AS disk_max, MIN(group_quota) AS disk_min, MAX(can_rate_pictures) AS can_rate_pictures, MAX(can_send_ecards) AS can_send_ecards, MAX(can_post_comments) AS can_post_comments, MAX(can_upload_pictures) AS can_upload_pictures, MAX(can_create_albums) AS can_create_albums, MAX(has_admin_access) AS has_admin_access, MAX(access_level) AS access_level, MIN(pub_upl_need_approval) AS pub_upl_need_approval, MIN( priv_upl_need_approval) AS priv_upl_need_approval FROM cm_usergroups WHERE group_id in (3) [bridge/udb_base.inc.php:350] (0.44 ms) [3] => SELECT group_name FROM cm_usergroups WHERE group_id= 3 [bridge/udb_base.inc.php:362] (0.23 ms) [4] => SELECT COUNT(*) FROM cm_categorymap WHERE group_id in (3) [bridge/udb_base.inc.php:375] (0.16 ms) [5] => SELECT aid FROM cm_albums WHERE moderator_group IN (3) [include/init.inc.php:271] (0.38 ms) [6] => SELECT lang_id FROM cm_languages WHERE enabled='YES' [include/init.inc.php:334] (0.28 ms) [7] => DELETE FROM cm_banned WHERE expiry < '2025-12-01 06:00:23' [include/init.inc.php:448] (0.79 ms) [8] => SELECT null FROM cm_banned WHERE ('216.73.216.55' LIKE ip_addr OR '' LIKE ip_addr ) AND brute_force=0 LIMIT 1 [include/init.inc.php:464] (0.85 ms) [9] => SELECT aid FROM cm_albums WHERE (1 AND visibility != 0 AND visibility != 10000 AND visibility NOT IN (3)) [include/functions.inc.php:1110] (0.31 ms) [10] => SELECT category, title, aid, keyword, description, alb_password_hint FROM cm_albums WHERE aid = 30 [thumbnails.php:136] (0.38 ms) [11] => SELECT p.cid, p.name FROM cm_categories AS c, cm_categories AS p WHERE c.lft BETWEEN p.lft AND p.rgt AND c.cid = 14 ORDER BY p.lft [include/functions.inc.php:2940] (0.27 ms) [12] => SELECT COUNT(*) FROM cm_pictures AS r INNER JOIN cm_albums AS a ON a.aid = r.aid WHERE (r.aid = 30) AND r.aid NOT IN (12, 51) AND approved = 'YES' [include/functions.inc.php:1614] (1.38 ms) [13] => SELECT r.pid, r.aid, filepath, filename, url_prefix, pwidth, pheight, filesize, ctime, r.title, r.keywords, r.votes, pic_rating, hits, caption, r.owner_id, user1, user2, user3, user4 FROM cm_pictures AS r INNER JOIN cm_albums AS a ON a.aid = r.aid WHERE (r.aid = 30) AND r.aid NOT IN (12, 51) AND approved = 'YES' ORDER BY ctime DESC, pid DESC LIMIT 0 ,12 [include/functions.inc.php:1630] (4.36 ms) [14] => SELECT extension, mime, content, player FROM cm_filetypes [include/functions.inc.php:5952] (2.03 ms) ) ========================== GET : ------------------ Array ( [album] => lastup [cat] => -30 ) ========================== POST : ------------------ Array ( ) ========================== COOKIE : ------------------ Array ( ) ==========================