Steven Webb

I don't know the backstory but a very nice statue, in a very nice cemetery, behind/around the church. Smiling couple, gazing at each other, can't help but make you think pleasant, hopeful thoughts. Although I believe their story is not so happy...

The place is covered in stones, statues, photos, engravings, carvings, and even fresh flowers. Dates from the 1800s to the 2000s, so still very active place. Easy to walk around/between.

Very nice urban park. Jogging path, crushed stone, smooth, not dusty around the square perimeter, with many joggers. Many clean benches, new, comfortable, some inside in the quieter treed area. Central fountain. WCs by entrance (in front of hospital and traffic circle). Lots of friendly cats. Fulltime security guys walking around keeping things orderly.

Well, it's definitely a campy touristy attraction. Nothing but shops and vendors chasing you. But...it is very pretty. Lots of interesting art, sculptures, painting, novel and colorful. Makes for great pictures. Further, unlike a "real" medina, the streets are smooth and flat, so no risk of breaking ankles, tripping, falling, head crashing into some hanging thing, or getting run over by car, bikes, carts, donkeys, horses or whatever else moves in real markets (and there's lots going on). That's very nice. Background calm music, clear sky above, interesting shops (with desperate on-commission vendors). So, ignore the trashiness of it all, enjoy it for what it is.

The area around it all tourist stuff, silly amusement parks for kids, giant gorilla, roller coaster usual Disney-land stuff. If you have kids, great.

Off season, there's NOBODY there. It's deserted, almost. It's sad and lonely actually. Even vendors are bored and mostly leave you alone.

WC is awful, hard to find, most are broken and leaking, no paper, no hot water, no soap... but at least it works. Still, for a "major" tourist attraction, that's not very impressive.

Would I come again? No way. Would I recommend anybody visit? Yes, it's odd, clean, pretty...put up with the touts and vendor harassment. Only takes 30mins to see most/all of it.

No complaints here, other than its crowded, might be a wait for a table. Sweets are awesome (we had the "national desert of turkey, turkiye'nin milli tatli). Coffee is ok. For sure it's expensive but this is no place to be cheap. The street and area is very pretty. And location is easy to get to, bus 15 (any of them) go right past here.

Seating is very comfy, cushions, nice heavy steel chairs and table, nothing cheap and flimsy. Service is friendly and fast (and in english). WCs inside are ok, good enough.

Odd to find a church in the city but here it is. Free to get in, just pass xray table... The building itself, courtyard are not spectacular, no fancy stonework, no garden, no seating. Ordinary in every way. But do notice the contrast between church and mosque when you enter here. It's very dark, very cramped, crypts and tombs are the first thing to great you as you step in. The ornate images on the wall, gold trim, huge hanging gas lights (now electric), light images of faces and scenes of anger and pain. Nothing like the wide open, natural light, air and carpet of a mosque...mosaics, exotic colored windows, caligraphy in the sky and little kids running around, jumping on each other, laughing. A church is in the serious business of redemption, the conquest of evils brewing within the human soul...nothing here about comfort.