So we were out for an afternoon stroll in the beautiful streets of Cesme- one of the Turkish ports on our 2014 Black Sea cruise – and we see a crowd of people gathered near the castle laughing and taking photographs of something.
There’s ‘a man walking his lion’ up there someone said as they passed us by. ‘ You must go and see them’.
What, a lion, there in the street? Â Surely not.
Oh it’s ok – it won’t hurt you!
Meet Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasa (1713 – 1790) and his pet Lion
A very grand looking Ottoman sea captain, known to have been bought as a slave by a Turkish merchant, he had a long and chequered miltary career of battles lost and won.
Still in command of Turkish troops (aged 85) during the Russo -Turkish war of 1787- 1792 he was awarded the title of Grand Vizier (the highest office in the land below the Sultan) in January 1790
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cezayirli_Gazi_Hasan_Pasha
Honestly, it’s amazing, you never know who you will meet when you are far away from home and set out for a little stroll on a sunny afternoon.
The monument was designed by Haluk Tezonar and erected in 1974
Previous post about Cesme https://cranethie.wordpress.com/2015/07/01/wordless-wednesday-seen-in-cesme-2/
Still Waters 