10 Oldest Mosques in the World

01. Quba Mosque, Saudi Arabia

First Built: 622

The designation of the oldest mosque in the world requires careful use of definitions, and must be divided into two parts, the oldest in the sense of oldest surviving building, and the oldest in the sense of oldest mosque congregation. Even here, there is the distinction between old mosque buildings that have been in continuous use as mosques, and those that have been converted to other purposes; and between buildings that have been in continuous use as mosques and those that were shuttered for many decades. In terms of congregations, they are distinguished between early established congregations that have been in continuous existence, and early congregations that ceased to exist (wikipedia). 09 More after the break...

02. Al-Masjid al-Nabawi, Saudi Arabia

First Built: 622

03. Masjid al-Qiblatain, Saudi Arabia

First Built: 623

04. Jawatha Mosque, Saudi Arabia

First Built: 629

05. Masjid al-Haram, Saudi Arabia

First Built: 638

06. Great Mosque of Kufa, Iraq

First Built: 639

07. Mosque of Uqba, Tunisia

First Built: 670

08. Imam Hussain Mosque, Iraq

First Built: 680

09. Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem

First Built: 705

10. Al-Zaytuna Mosque, Tunisia

First Built: 709

Abacaenum.....Tour of ancient City

Abacaenum (Greek: Ἀβάκαινον[1]; Ἀβάκαινα[2]), was an ancient city of Sicily, situated about 6.5 km from the north coast, between Tyndaris (modern Tindari) and Mylae (modern Milazzo), and 13 km from the former city.

History

It was a city of the Siculi, and does not appear to have ever received a Greek colony, though it partook largely of the influence of Greek art and civilization. Its territory originally included that of Tyndaris, which was separated from it by the elder Dionysius when he founded that city in 396 BCE[3]. From the way in which it is mentioned in the wars of Dionysius, Agathocles, and Hieron[4], it is clear that it was a place of power and importance: but from the time of Hieron it disappears from history, and no mention is found of it in the Verrine orations of Cicero. Its name is, however, found in Ptolemy[5], so that it appears to have still continued to exist in his day. Its decline was probably owing to the increasing prosperity of the neighbouring city of Tyndaris.

There can be little doubt that the ruins visible in the time of Fazello, at the foot of the hill on which the modern town of Tripi is situated, were those of Abacaenum. He speaks of fragments of masonry, prostrate columns, and the vestiges of walls, indicating the site of a large city, but which had been destroyed to its foundations.[6]

Coinage

Coin of Abacaenum.

There are found coins of Abacaenum, both in silver and copper. The boar and acorn, which are the common type of the former, evidently refer to the great forests of oak which still cover the neighboring mountains, and afford pasture to large herds of swine.

Small Town Dominating a Theatrical Basalt Cliff - Castellfollit de la Roca, Spain

 Narrow streets, breathtaking landscapes, buildings dating back to medieval times, stone walls and a giant basalt cliff are just some of the features of Castellfollit de la Roca. Located in the province of Girona, Spain, this odd looking place has no more than 1000 inhabitants which makes it one of the smallest towns in Catalonia. Its dramatic location above a basalt cliff bordered by the rivers Fluvià and Toronell fascinates travelers everywhere. According to wikipedia, the basalt cliff where the town is situated is over 50 m high and almost a kilometer long. It was formed by the overlaying of two lava flows. The basalt-resulting materials were used both for industrial purposes and decorative elements, such as the pavement of the old town, fireplaces and so on. Most of the homes you see in the photos below were built from volcanic rock.

 

 

Coral Castle Built By One Person For His Beloved, Florida, America

Coral Castle was designed and built by Edward Leedskalnin, a 5 Feet tall man, weighing 100 pounds and suffering from tuberculosis. He was jilted by his 16-year-old fiancee Agnes Scuffs  just one day before their wedding. Heartbroken he decided to leave for America and build his own home. He states that magnets cured his tuberculosis. He purchased a land in Florida from Ruben Moser and started building his own castle. He spent 28 years building his home and allowed no one to visit him and his home. He had chosen this location because it was a remote area at that time with no development. In 1923 he named the castle Rock Gate Park. The Castle remained in Florida City till 1936 until he heard of some development in the area and decided to move 10 miles north from Florida City. He moved his castle with him too to it’s present location. Leedskalnin continued to work on the castle up until his death in 1951.

The castle is built from several megalithic stones (mostly limestones formed from coral) each weighing in tons. It is amazing how a single person with low physical strength and suffering from a disease built such a masterpiece with the mere use of primitive tools. The grounds of Coral Castle consist of 1,000 tons of stones found in the forms of walls, furniture, carvings and castle tower. The two story castle tower served as Leedskalnin’s home. The walls were made of 8-foot high pieces of stone. He made an accurate sundail, a Ploaris telescope, a barbecue pit, a fountain, a water well, heart shaped table, bath tubs, royal throne, 25 chairs, chairs resembling crescent moon, a star shaped healing point, beds and a table in the shape of Florida. In his book, A Book in Every Home he expressed his love for his fiancee and declared the castle a gift for his “Sweet Sixteen”.

He became ill in December 1951 and died of stomach cancer. In January 1981 Coral Castle, Inc. bought the castle from a relative of  Leedskalnin for $175,000. In 1984, The National Register of Historic Places added the castle to it’s list of historic places.

Uzbekistan through the eyes of a French tourist (1956)

French scientist and historian Jacques Dupâquier has been to the USSR three times during the 1950-70s. After several days in Moscow, the French academician Jacques Dyupake flew to Uzbekistan, in 1956. In general, Jacques Dyupake visited three times in the Soviet Union and visited not only Moscow and Uzbekistan, and the Kuban and the Caucasus.  In 1956 he visited Uzbekistan and took many pictures of this place.22 more images after the break...