Hala Sultan Tekke, Ottoman mosque at Salt Lake, Larnaca, Cyprus
Hala Sultan Tekke is an Ottoman complex in Larnaca comprising a mosque, mausoleum, minaret, cemetery, and pilgrim lodgings located close to the shores of the city's salt lake. The buildings are surrounded by palm and cypress trees, offering a quiet view over the wide water surface and the flat landscape around.
The complex was established in 1816 at the location where Umm Haram, a relative of Prophet Muhammad, died and was buried in 647 during an Arab expedition. Over the centuries, the site developed into an important pilgrimage destination for Muslims from different parts of the world.
Many visitors travel to this site specifically to honor Umm Haram and offer their prayers, while others use the peaceful setting by the salt lake to perform their devotions. The textiles covering the tomb are regularly renewed by believers who bring them as a sign of reverence, keeping the connection between the place and Islamic tradition alive.
Access is from the road connecting the site to the center of Larnaca, roughly 5 kilometers (3 miles) from downtown and close to the airport. Visitors should remove their shoes before entering the mosque, and women must cover their heads.
The three massive stone blocks surrounding the tomb form what is called a trilithic structure, whose origin and original purpose remain unexplained to this day and puzzle archaeologists. Some researchers believe the stones date from a much older, pre-Islamic period and were later incorporated into the mosque construction.
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