The Basilica of St. John & My First Mosque

  

John The Evangelist is believed to have written his Gospel here on Ayasuluk Hill. A 4th century tomb is also believed to house his remains.

In the 6th Century Emporer Justinian built a large church around it. As usually happens eathquakes and marauders destroyed the site but it is currently being restored.

I have to admit that I didn't take a photo of the tomb. I got this one from Wikipedia 

The reason for this was a stork that I'd spotted nesting on a one of my beloved columns.

I became obsessed with trying to get a good shot of this bird and photographed little else at the site.

Except a tortoise with a baby...

And some flowers...

Outside an old man stinking of raki took me to one side and tried to sell me some old Roman coins he had nicked whilst "helping" with the restoration. He was reticent to appear on the blog.

At the foot of the hill is the Isa  Bey Camii, a 14th Century mosque and the first I have ever been in.

Beautiful, huge carpet - donated by the people of Selcuk.

Nice light from the high windows

and a column with a bird on it.