Istanbul - Kandilli Observatory, Blue Mosque and Basilica Cistern, 3/30/2006

Home > Adventures Abroad > Turkey 2006 > Istanbul - Kandilli Observatory, Blue Mosque and Basilica Cistern, 3/30/2006

Most viewed - Istanbul - Kandilli Observatory, Blue Mosque and Basilica Cistern, 3/30/2006

Walkways400 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.

The Blue Mosque - Architecture399 viewsThe Blue Mosque incorporates elements of both Byzantine and Islamic architecture, resembling in some respects its neighbor, Hagia Sophia.

Supporting columns399 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.

Carpets393 viewsCarpets in the Blue Mosque are purchased with donations from worshipers and are continually replaced as they wear out.

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.

Blue Mosque - interior392 viewsThe mosque has over 200 stained-glass windows. The glass for the windows was a gift from Venice to the Sultan.

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.

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.

The Hen's Eye Column377 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.

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.

The Blue Mosque368 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.

35 files on 3 page(s)

Debug Info

Debug Output: show / hide

USER: 
------------------
Array
(
    [ID] => e928a16f92c47da74d3558a19384ca0a
    [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] (0.39 ms)
    [1] => SELECT * FROM cm_plugins ORDER BY priority [include/plugin_api.inc.php:48] (0.19 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] (0.24 ms)
    [3] => SELECT group_name FROM cm_usergroups WHERE group_id= 3 [bridge/udb_base.inc.php:362] (0.14 ms)
    [4] => SELECT COUNT(*) FROM cm_categorymap WHERE group_id in (3) [bridge/udb_base.inc.php:375] (0.15 ms)
    [5] => SELECT aid FROM cm_albums WHERE moderator_group IN (3) [include/init.inc.php:271] (0.13 ms)
    [6] => SELECT lang_id FROM cm_languages WHERE enabled='YES' [include/init.inc.php:334] (0.2 ms)
    [7] => DELETE FROM cm_banned WHERE expiry < '2025-12-01 06:46:15' [include/init.inc.php:448] (1 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] (0.64 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] (0.18 ms)
    [10] => SELECT category, title, aid, keyword, description, alb_password_hint FROM cm_albums WHERE aid = 30 [thumbnails.php:136] (0.15 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] (0.12 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'
                AND hits > 0 [include/functions.inc.php:1717] (4.09 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'
                AND hits > 0
                ORDER BY hits ASC, pid DESC
                 LIMIT 0 ,11 [include/functions.inc.php:1734] (1.92 ms)
    [14] => SELECT extension, mime, content, player FROM cm_filetypes [include/functions.inc.php:5952] (0.2 ms)
)

==========================
GET :
------------------
Array
(
    [album] => topn
    [cat] => -30
    [page] => 3
)

==========================
POST :
------------------
Array
(
)

==========================
COOKIE :
------------------
Array
(
)

==========================

Event Horizon - Astronomical and Terrestrial Images