Day 613. Visited @ahmet_yildirim witkh my guide what tourists call The Blue Mosque due to the abundance of blue tile work and locals of Istanbul call The Sultan Ahmet I mosque. Uniquely this Mosque has 6 minarets for the call to prayer and was built in the 16th century. This was my first visit to a Mosque. And like many visitors I was taken aback by the vast separation between worship areas for men and women. Supposedly neither men and women should be distracted by each other during prayer, hence the separation. Also compared to churches there is no religious iconography but intricate and beautiful calligraphy. Also it is required that women be completely covered. The dome of the Mosque was quite high and supported by huge marble pillars. The space, though the walls were intricately decorated, was simple; carpet to for kneeling/praying. I learned more about the services but will save for another time. Though I've been reading The Prophet by Karen Armstrong for information, I took one of the free Quran books offered. What I did find interesting at the Topkapi palace is they had the relic of the prophet Mohammad's sword (also the staff of Moses) and that Sultan's weren't crowned but "sworded." #dailyart #artist #dailypoem #poet #poets #poetsofig #poetsofinsta #poetsofinstagram #poetry #poetryofig #poetryofinstagram #writer #writersofig #writersofinstagram #writersofinstagram #iphoto #iphonephoto #iphonephotograph #iphonephotography #istanbul #bluemosque #sultanahmetmosque #topkapipalace #topkapisarayi #ahmet_yıldırım #lorihollins #guidedistanbultours
