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Dick Osseman | all galleries >> Urfa pictures - Turkey >> Urfa – Turkey - at sacred ponds > Sanliurfa June 2010 9092.jpg
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23-JUN-2010

Sanliurfa June 2010 9092.jpg

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We are here at the Halil Rahman Gölu (Arab. Birket Ibrahim). Measuring 30 x 150 meters its waters flow from the Rohas-source (in antiquity Kallirhoë source). It had been prophesied to Nimrod, first king of the Chaldeans, founder of Babylon that someone was tyo be born that would bring down the gods of the realm. Zeliha hid in a cave when all pregnant women were driven together and gave birth to Abraham. At 16 Abraham tried to convince Nimrod of his errors, was caught and convicted to be burnt. The heat was such he was to be catapulted onto the pyre, but god turned to fire into a pool and the sparks into fish.

There is a series of mosques and medreses near the pool, many look quite restored and none seems to be older than 1717, with the exception of a Halil Camii, itself from 1808-09 but with a square minaret from 1211-12, which is at the south west side of the pool.

Nikon D3
1/8000s f/8.0 at 35.0mm iso2000 full exif

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