Syria

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the pool

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a church, probably crusadial, turned into a mosque

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the main mosque of Sanliurfa. Sanli is addition to its name, it means glorious or something, the city got it for its heroic fight against the French.
It's ancient Orhai and later Edessa. It's one of the oldest cities around, according to legend of St Abgar the capital of first kingdom to adapt Christianity, later a sit of an important christian theology school and place where up to X century Mandillion, the piece of cloth with miraculous portrait of Jesus was held. It was the hometown to Heraclius I have heard. Also, it was a capital of the first crusaders' duchy.

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as in Qal'at Salah ad-Din, the moat around the citadel was carved in stone. Here it is less deep, but longer. And as in Qal'at Salah ad-Din, a pillar was left to support the bridge

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Not only Abraham of the prophets lived here, but also Hiob. It is a mosque next to which there are his cave and well. It's a muslim tradition, though, I don't know if it's the same in the Bible.

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the grand mosque of Harran

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Harran. Also mentioned in the Bible, Abraham lived here. It was the place of first muslim university and important translation and astronomy centre.
it also boasts with beehive houses - as a couple of places in Syria as well.

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one of the beehive houses
Here they are called Harran houses.
it is close to Syria and arabic, but people here never learned classical arabic mostly, so it was hard to talk with them. Do not give any money to "guides" You will meet in the karavanserai-castle. They don't know a thing. they will try to prove You it was once a church because it has cross ceilings

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one of 4 towers of grand karavanserai of Harran

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Sanliurfa was one of my favourite cities on the way. It was nice, mostly tidy, and had nice bridges, here is one of them

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I stopped at Birecik because of its castle, but the city prouds itself more with ibis bird, which settles not far away. Therefore, ibises are everywhere, including the fountains.

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Part of Birecik castle over Euphrates. the water was very clean

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Aleppo - Halab in Syria. One of the places Armenians expelled from places I have been to settled in. This church was built in 1924

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In Halab there are big churches, unlike in Damascus

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this mosque in Halab looked nice

All for now. I still have to resize the Van frog pic.

More to follow oneday.