Day 5 Layers of History: From Roman and Byzantine to Ottoman Times

Thrilled about today. Dressing conservatively for our first mosque visit as a group. Bus travel again today--Iznik and then Bursa. 

Went to the Iznik tile factory and research center where historic Ottoman and Islamic tiles are produced to match the authentic production methods. These tiles are hand painted and have quartz in the clay and glazing, which makes them very hard, beautiful and expensive. View for yourself and see what you think. In Islam people and animal images are not used. Flowers and geometric patterns are what you see. The tulip with pointy petals is all over, as it is a symbol of a period in the Ottoman Empire. They are grown here and blossom everywhere in the spring. I am going to purchase some bulbs when I get home. 

The Sans Sofia church. It is thought that the Ecumenical Counsel may have been here. This is in the area of Nicea. 

These frescoes were not erased by the Muslims. You can barely see them. They are hundreds of years old. 

This wall was started in the first century, ce. It is so amazing to see the layers of history. 

Rather than a Bible in the drawer, there is a sticker pointing to the direction of Mecca.