Photos

Photographer’s Note

This is the Green mosque, Masjid Sabz, of Balkh in northern Afghanistan. Today, and already in 1973 when this picture was taken, Balkh is a small town of little significance, but it is one of the oldest cities in the world, founded about 4 000 years ago. It was the birthplace of Zoroaster (Zarathustra), prophet and poet and founder of the Zoroastrian religion. Avicenna (ibn Sina), one of the great muslim scholars of the 11th century was born here, as was Jalal ad-Din Rumi, 13th century poet and philosopher who moved to Konya in Turkey, where he is known as Celaleddin Rumi. After his death his followers started the Sufi order of the whirling dervishes.
Alexander the great probably came to Balkh, so did Gengis Khan and Marco Polo.
Scanned from a Kodachrome slide.

mikolaj_kawa, saxo042, sayeed_rahman, molla, paololg, fanni has marked this note useful

Photo Information
Viewed: 4032
Points: 18
Discussions
Additional Photos by Gert Holmertz (holmertz) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1163 W: 108 N: 1769] (9328)
View More Pictures
explore TREKEARTH