Guess where this is?

[Brian Ellis]

That's an easy one. The Pont du Garde in Provence. A Roman aqueduct.

[KvHagedorn]

I had a feeling you'd get that one right off.

[Brian Ellis]

OK, it would seem that this is a mosque and you would be right. But where is it and why is it very famous?

[JTD]

Is it in north africa?

[Brian Ellis]

No!

[Lambo-Fan]

Okay, here's something easy. So what do you think - where is this?

P.S: Yes, the picture quality is quite bad but it's only a scan of a not sooo good photo

[Brian Ellis]

Okay, here's something easy. So what do you think - where is this?

P.S: Yes, the picture quality is quite bad but it's only a scan of a not sooo good photo

Hey! You can't post until you've won the previous one which is below and we know is not in Africa.

[Lambo-Fan]

Oops, sorry! I didn't read the other pages of this thread. Hm, I'm afraid I don't know that exact place.

[Holster]

Is it the Hala Sultan Tekke mosque - Cyprus?

The third most important islamic site after Mecca and Medina.

The shrine is to Umm Haram - the aunt and foster mother of Prophet Mohammed.

http://individual.utoronto.ca/laura/index_files/Hala_Sultan_Tekke.jpg

http://p.vtourist.com/1838126-holy_mulim_shrines_batman-Cyprus.jpg

[Holster]

ok.

[Brian Ellis]

It is indeed the Tekké umm Haram on the edge of the Larnaca Salt Lake, just down the road from where I live. Why is it famous? Because it is reputedly the third or fourth most holy site in Islam. I don't know what is true and what is legend. What seems indisputable is that Mohammad was brought up by a lady he called his aunt, but possibly was no blood relation. He loved this person very dearly. Anyway, to bring the Word of his teachings to the Cypriot barbarians, this lady was in the ancient city of Kition (now Larnaca) and, one day, she was travelling here and fell off her mule, breaking "her pellucid neck". She was buried on the spot where she died. Her tomb is there, for all to see, even today. Many Muslims come to this spot on pilgrimage. Muslim ships dip their flags in respect, as they pass the spot. The present mosque is relatively modern (I think early 19th c) and was part of the tekké (a kind of Muslim monastery/seminary/school).

At her request, the body of the present King of Jordan's great-grandmother is also buried here.

What is legend is that a great block of stone hovered miraculously over umm Haram's tomb for many years. Because pilgrims were afraid that it would fall on them as they paid their respects to the deceased, the Imam decided that it should be supported, so he placed two other stones under it. The truth is that the lady was buried under a prehistoric dolmen, which is still there. The history of the region goes back at least 9000 years.

Another interesting tomb in the region is that of Lazarus. When he was raised from the dead, he preached the words of Jesus and was persecuted by Herod and/or the Romans. He fled for his life and settled in Kition, where he eventually died for the second time. His body was placed in a crude sarcophagus and buried. His tomb was worshipped by the early Christians (remember Paul and Barnabas also preached the Word of Christ here - see the Acts of the Apostles). The present-day church of St Lazarus was built over his tomb where his empty sarcophagus can be seen in a crypt. It is believed that name of the city was changed to Larnaca because the tomb had become a place of pilgrimage (Larnax is the ancient Greek word for a sarcophagus) but this cannot be proved.

Your turn!

[Brian Ellis]

Well, I don't think it's Cyprus, although the geology and vegetation are very similar to places here! I would guess the sea is more oceanic than the Med. Could I hazard a guess of the Great Australian Bight?

[Sasq]

bwhahaha no
sorry I know where it is.

[Brian Ellis]

Well, tell us!

[Sasq]

nope

gotta remember that holster and I are friends.
the fact i can get away with her new user title is an indication of that