File:Eskisehir Odunpazarı tour in 2018 8608.jpg

English: An exact replica of one of the most famous places of Hansaray in the city of Bakhchisaray in Ukraine. It was built in the garden of the Mustafa Abdülcemil Kırımoğlu Crimean Tatar Culture House, dedicated to the Crimean people.

This text explains: The Fountain of Tears is one of the most famous places of Hansaray in the city of Bakhchisaray, which is still within the borders of Ukraine. Crimean Khan Kırım Giray Khan had this fountain built in 1763 by a stonemason from Bahçesaray (some say Tranh Ömer Usta) in memory of his beloved wife Dilara Bikeş, who died at a young age, saying "Let this fountain cry like me as long as the world lasts." According to some sources, the powerful Crimean Khan Kırım Giray fell in love as soon as he saw a young woman of Polish origin named Maria Potocka in his harem. The lady does not reciprocate the Crimean khan's love and dies. Giray is so sad that he orders his best sculptor to make a crying stone statue to express his love. And thus, the legendary Bakhchisaray stone fountain, which is the subject of poems, was created. When the fountain was in its original location, the sound made by each drop of water, with the help of acoustics, sounded like crying and sobbing, and it deeply affected the listener. II. When the fountain was placed in its current location with Yekaterina's directives, this originality of the fountain disappeared. The meanings of the shapes on the fountain also tell the story of the fountain's construction.

From a first visit I have always admired the town for seemingly considering its “old” houses not as “things of the past” but “things to be kept for the future”. During later visits many had not been torn down, but restored, in particular in an area called Odunpazarı (“Firewood market”). In 2018 I walked that specific region, paying attention to the old houses, many now splendidly restored, but also to the renovation works themselves and the contrasting “modern” buildings present also. In addition I visited some local artisans and took pictures of things that struck my fancy.