cemetery looking over golden horn

Cemetery Looking Over the Golden Horn

Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari was the companion and standard bearer of the

Prophet Muhammad. He came to Istanbul with the Arab army during the

first attempted Muslim conquest of the city, died and as his last

request was buried there. After the city was taken, Sultan Mehmet

ordered a tomb, be constructed over Abu Ayyub's resting place and a

Mosque constructed in his honour. From that point; the Golden Horn,

became something of a 'sacred place', the mosque containing a stone

said to bear the footprint of the Prophet Mohhamed. Many Ottoman

officials wished to be buried at or near the site of Abu Ayyub's

resting place. The cemetery became one of Istanbul's most desirable

final resting places. Being outside the city walls, the area has long

been used as a place of burial. There are Christian churches and

cemeteries in the area as well as a large Muslim cemetery.