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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 Minarets of the Blue Mosque373 viewsThe Blue Mosque has six minarets, not all of which are seen in this picture. It caused an uproar among the Islamic ulama (Muslim jurists), who were scandalized that it had as many minarets as the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Sultan Ahmed assuaged their ire by causing a seventh minaret to be built for the Grand Mosque.Sep 20, 2019 Gateway to the Forecourt432 viewsDecorated with the names of the Caliphs and verses from the Koran by the great 17th-century calligrapher Seyyid Kasim Gubari.Sep 20, 2019 Approaches to the Blue Mosque439 viewsThe Blue Mosque was intended to demonstrate that Islamic architects could build structures to rival Hagia Sophia in size and majesty.Sep 20, 2019 Blue Mosque - Arches377 viewsThis type of arch is typically Islamic; very similar arches are found in the Great Mosque of Cordoba in Spain, among other places.Sep 20, 2019 Courtyard of the Blue Mosque418 viewsThe court is as large as the mosque itself and is surrounded by a continuous vaulted arcade. The hexagonal structure in the center is a fountain.Sep 20, 2019 Royal Loge458 viewsThe retiring rooms of the Royal Loge were the headquarters of the Grand Vizier during the suppression of the Janissary Corps in 1826.Sep 20, 2019 Illumination450 viewsFlash photography is not permitted in the Blue Mosque. Even though artificial lighting supplements the natural light admitted through the stained-glass windows, it was still too dim for our cameras inside the mosque, so many of our pictures came out blurry.Sep 20, 2019 Tiles455 viewsThe interior of the Blue Mosque is lined with over ceramic 20,000 tiles. These were made in Iznik, the former Nicaea, which was a major center for the production of fine tiles.Sep 20, 2019 Chandeliers381 viewsSupposedly ostrich eggs were put on the chandelirs to keep them free of cobwebs by repelling spiders. I don't know why ostrich eggs would repel spiders, and I didn't see any myself. I suspect that nowadays the cobwebs are taken care of by the cleaning crew.Sep 20, 2019 Touring the Blue Mosque414 viewsThe Blue Mosque is both a working mosque and one of the main tourist attractions of Istanbul. Here our tour group gathers for instruction by Attila in its history and architecture, as well as the rules of etiquette for visitors.Sep 20, 2019 Etiquette478 viewsVisitors are required to remove their shoes and carry them in a bag provided free of charge. Both men and women are expected to dress modestly (no short pants or skirts), and head coverings for women are mandatory.Sep 20, 2019 Main Dome of the Blue Mosque401 viewsThe Main Dome has 28 stained-glass windows. The Mosque also has four secondary and eight tertiary domes.Sep 20, 2019 35 files on 3 page(s) 1 2 3 Debug Info  Debug Output: show / hide Select All USER: ------------------ Array ( [ID] => 483f8aa1a92f056ac64620194ee73f02 [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] (0.42 ms) [1] => SELECT * FROM cm_plugins ORDER BY priority [include/plugin_api.inc.php:48] (0.17 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] (0.28 ms) [3] => SELECT group_name FROM cm_usergroups WHERE group_id= 3 [bridge/udb_base.inc.php:362] (0.16 ms) [4] => SELECT COUNT(*) FROM cm_categorymap WHERE group_id in (3) [bridge/udb_base.inc.php:375] (0.27 ms) [5] => SELECT aid FROM cm_albums WHERE moderator_group IN (3) [include/init.inc.php:271] (0.15 ms) [6] => SELECT lang_id FROM cm_languages WHERE enabled='YES' [include/init.inc.php:334] (0.19 ms) [7] => DELETE FROM cm_banned WHERE expiry < '2025-12-01 06:44:58' [include/init.inc.php:448] (0.92 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] (0.53 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] (0.52 ms) [10] => SELECT category, title, aid, keyword, description, alb_password_hint FROM cm_albums WHERE aid = 30 [thumbnails.php:136] (0.18 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] (0.17 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] (0.67 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 12 ,12 [include/functions.inc.php:1630] (2.52 ms) [14] => SELECT extension, mime, content, player FROM cm_filetypes [include/functions.inc.php:5952] (0.21 ms) ) ========================== GET : ------------------ Array ( [album] => lastup [cat] => -30 [page] => 2 ) ========================== POST : ------------------ Array ( ) ========================== COOKIE : ------------------ Array ( ) ==========================