Church and Mosque

Part 2--Day 19, (April 18, 2013) of our OAT's Turkey's Sacred lands and Ancient Civilizations Tour. We visit the mosque in Adana and travel to Taurus to see the birthplace of the apostle St. Paul. This is our last day before returning to our home and travels

Sabancı Merkez Camii 

The Sabancı Central Mosque in Adana is the largest mosque in turkey and one of the largest in the Balkans and the Middle East. The exterior of the mosque is similar to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. The mosque began services in 1998, and can accommodate 28,5000 worshippers.

It is stunningly beautiful inside and out. 

This mosque and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul have six minarets. 

A minaret is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. They vary drastically by region.

Those entering the mosque need to wear proper apparel (no shorts, tank tops, mini skirts, etc) and women must cover their hair.

Six minarets

 We could see the mosque from our hotel window. Unfortunately I couldn't do anything about the light post!

The Adana Mosque at sunrise.

The mosque exterior

Ablution

Men and women worshipers wash before entering the mosque to pray. Hands, arms, feet, legs, face and ears are cleaned and fresh socks are put on, if possible. Mosques have places to so this ablution--the Adana mosque has a separate gazebo. There are three stations to sit and wash on each of the eight sides.

Taurus

In Taurus we visit an ancient 1st century well and house foundation thought to be the well and house of St. Paul.

With a history going back over 6,000 years, Tarsus has long been an important stop for traders, linking Anatolia to Syria and beyond. It was a focal point of many civilisations including the Roman Empire, when Tarsus was capital of the province of Cilicia, the scene of the first meeting between Mark Antony and Cleopatra and the town where Paul the Apostle grew up.

A kids' school program was also visiting the well (behind the children).

St. Paul's Memorial Church in Tarsus was built around 1862, and is now a museum, but Christian services can occasionally be performed there 

The gate where Mark Anthony met Cleopatra

While wandering around the market there was a brief deluge that flooded the streets.

Working to providing more drainage