AT THE GOLDEN HORN

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 238, 28 December 1927, Page 9

AT THE GOLDEN HORN

MOSQUES AND MINARETS A NEW ZEALANDER ABROAD A sunset view across the Golden Horn at Constantinople, with the myriad types of shipping in the foreground and the call of the muzzein coming from the minarets of the 500 mosaues of Stambou! is one of the things which mo? impressed itself upon the memor of Mr. Herbert HalJ, of Timaru. who has just concluded a tour of Europe and the Near East. Mr. Hall, who is a well-known Timaru architect, accompanied by Mrs. Hall, returned by the Ulimaroa last evening after ten months’ absence abroad during which time he interested himself largely in archaeology, architecture and the economic conditions of the various countries visited. After having seen most of the architecture of Europe and America he considers St. Peter’s in Rome, to be the finest work erected by the hand of man. THE OLD ORDER CHANGETH From the point of view of interest Mr. Hall said that Turkey, Spain and Italy proved the most attractive of all the countries visited. Turkey particularly so, in view of the fact that it was a new republic, possessing a new social order, and in all probability, in the near future, a new religion. All this, said Mr. Hall, was being built upon and replacing the old and corrupt monarchy. In Spain, on the other hand, one could view the effect of the Moorish conquest of a European country culminating in some of the most beautiful architectural specimens to be seen anywhere on the Mediterranean. After five years’ absence he was much interested in revisiting Italy and observing the effect of the Mussolini dictatorship upon the political and social life of the people. In addition, Italy was, and always will be, the Mecca of all interested in any form of art. Although the Italian Government had many difficult problems on hand they were carrying out new excavations at the Theatre Marcellus. which, when completed, would eclipse any archaeological discoveries in Rome. IN THE BLUE MOSQUE Although in most Mohammedan countries it is still difficult for unbelievers to enter a mosque, Mr. Hall stated that in Stamboul he was able to see and hear the “faithful at prayer in the wonderful blue mosque.” Even in Turkey, added Mr. Hall, he discovered that the British sovereign spoke all languages. Despite the fact that visitors get very little encouragement to visit Turkey, and are required to report frequently to the police, he was given every facility to see the sights of the city, and travelled 40 miles along the Bosphorous to the Black Sea. From there he returned southward in an Egyptian cattle-boat calling at Smyrna, where he saw the remains of the famous old port which had been burned to the ground by the Turks when they drove the Greeks out of Asia Minor five years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Hall also visited Athens and then went on to Egypt where they spent a very interesting time, particularly at Luxor, where they saw the tomb of Tut-ankh-amen, and from there returned home via Australia.