Istanbul Date(s): January 9-12, 2014. Album by David Clement. 1 - 88 of 88 Total. 17 Visits.
1 beautiful room at White House Hotel; they picked me up at the airport too
2 Blue Mosque from the rooftop patio of White House Hotel
3 Obelisk of Theodosius erected here in 4th century AD, originally from Pharaoh Thutmose III 3500 years ago in Egypt
4 base of the Obelisk
5 Serpent Column, originally from Delphi, Greece
6 wide view of the Hippodrome; Obelisk of Theodosius, Hagia Sophia in the distance, minarets of Blue Mosque, and then Constantine Obelisk on near right
7 Great Palace Mosaic Museum
8 mosaics from the Byzantine period
9
10 lamps in the bazaar that house the Mosaic Museum
11 spices
12 Blue Mosque viewed from Sultan Ahmet Park
13 Hagia Sophia viewed from Sultan Ahmet Park
14 Basilica Cistern, built in 532 AD by Byzantine Emperor Justinianus
15 Medusa Head #1
16 Medusa Head #2
17 entering Hagia Sophia ("Holy Wisdom")
18 Wishing Column
19 marble lustration urn brought from Pergamon
20 Omphalion, the coronation of every Byzantine Emperor took place here
21 Mimber, the Imam would only go halfway to the top which was symbolically reserved for the Prophet Muhammad
22 prayer niche, off-center because Ottomans moved it to face Mecca instead of Jerusalem during the conversion to a Mosque
23 scaffolding has been there for a long time I think
24 heading to the Upper Gallery
25 built in 537 AD
26 view from Loge of the Empress
27 Deësis Mosaic
28 Commenos Mosaic
29 looking back toward the entrance
30
31 roof mosaic with Mary and Jesus
32 exiting Hagia Sophia
33 Fountain of Ahmed III
34 Imperial Gate to Topkapi Palace
35 back to Blue Mosque for 1:30 opening; there was a congregational prayer on Friday morning and the Mosque had been closed until now
36 worshippers in Blue Mosque courtyard
37 ceiling of Blue Mosque
38 built from 1609 to 1616, during the rule of Ahmed I
39 tourists behind the rail
40 walking toward Hagia Sophia; Nutella vendor in foreground
41 inside Topkapi Palace; this is the door to the Imperial Council Hall
42 looking across the Bosphorus to Asia
43 Asia in the background
44
45 looking across the Golden Horn; Galata Bridge in the middle and the New Town on the right
46 me at the "pavilion for breaking fast"
47 New Town
48 Privy Chamber, housing the Sacred Trust, including some of the Prophet Muhammad's beard
49 many trees around Topkapi Palace were hollow but alive
50 Imperial Council Hall across the courtyard
51 Courtyard of the Eunuchs (black guards with genitals cut off) in the Sultan's Harem
52 Twin Kiosks that housed the crown princes
53 Hagia Sophia
54 I had some roasted chestnuts from this guy - they were a bit bland
55 Blue Mosque
56 my hotel
57 hollow bread at dinner
58 spicy goulash
59 complimentary apple tea
60 rooftop patio - breakfast was in the heated room in the background
61 breakfast buffet included a tomato/egg dish, figs, apricots, olives, pastries
62 many ferries departing from here in the Golden Horn
63 looking across to the New Town
64
65 looking back at the Old Town
66 Dolmabahçe Palace, built between the 1843 and 1856; the modern Turkish government turned it into a museum in 1924
67 I took the ferry to Üsküdar in Asia
68 token machine for the ferries; cost was 3 Turkish Lira (about $1.50)
