Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-03-09

gorgeous residences many centuries
ago, ts now a barracks. prison aud
hospital for the Algerian troops. Its
old walls and satnways stiil stand. and
the ninaret OF it's mosque. M feet high,
ovcrlOoks the rest OF the city. About
800 years ago this citadel contained
some OF the wonders OF the world. II
had clock which was celebrated two
centuries before that on the Straaburg
cathedral was made. and in one OF the
galleries. which WAS paved with mar
bic and onyx. stood \ solid silver tree
Upon which We're many species OF sing
iEg birds made % gold and silver.
THE GRAND MOSQUE.
Within o stones throw OF the citadel,
surrounded by buildings which would
not look out OF place In amy country
town IN Franco rises the mighty
mosque DIANA 81 Eebir. IT was built
in a. u. 1885, but II is in az good con-
dition today as when the Moors first
worshiped in IL $40 years ago, The
buildings OF this mosque cover about
an acre and the roof Is supported by
a vast number Of columns which end ia
great arches hung with many chapde-
liers. The buildings run around the
court, III the center of which Is q. foun.
tain OF ONYX about which, as passed
through. the Nfohammedans were sit
ting and washing themselves before
going In to pray, we We're allowed -
enter the mosque, hut had first to put
on slippers, and we walked about
through che worshipers, who were
lUocling on their prayer rugs and bow
ing again and again as they locked to-
ward Mecca.
When 'rIemcen was in the height Of
it's glory IL had 40 MOSQUES One OF
the most famous was built In honor of
confectloner saint who preached to
the children as they gathered around
his candy stall and whom doubt not
he attracted by giving them sweets
He became so popular that the sultan
made him a tutor OF his three sons.
This angeTed the grand visier, and he
had the candy saint condemned as
sorcerer and beheaded outside the
gates. Shortly after this the ghost of
The candy saint appeared before the
sultan and made complaint. and the
sultan tied up the grand visier hand
and foot and threw him into vat of
cement. AS the cement hardened tn"
grand visIer hardened with it, aud
he was thus buried alive III solid
block Of stone. After this the sultan
built the mosque which remains to
this day. This happened just 80 odd
years before Columbus discovered
America. l have no doubt IT is true,
ior j saw the mosque here with my
O II t1HltSI-pL-L eyes
Another mosque, built in 1898, was
in honor OF an Arab lawyer. IT CON-
tains some OF the most exquisite Moor
ish work of the world. and it is per-
haps the finest monument any lawyer
has ever had. The lawyer IT commem-
crates is said to have been a man of
truth.
SID1 BOU MEDIN.
One Of the most interesting OF the
M osques lies several miles from Tlem-
con. on the side Of the mountains. II
iS that Of SJii Bou Medn, one OF the
most famous scholars of the Moorish
civilization of 500 years ago. The man
studied at Granada and Fee aud then
Travelled 10 Mecca. He lectured at Bag
dad, Seville and COrdOva, and ended
his career by lecturing here, This
mosque IL a wonder OF fine workman
ship. 1t is flooTed with mosaic. It's
doors are OF bronze and Its decorations
are OF Moorish lace work of wonderful