Joshua's Hill
Joshua's Hill (Turkish: Yuşa Tepesi or Hazreti Yuşa Tepesi), a hill located on the Anatolian shore of Bosporus in Beykoz district of Istanbul, Turkey is a shrine containing a mosque and a tomb dedicated to Joshua (Turkish: Hazreti Yuşa). The sacred place, 180 to 195 meters (591 to 640 ft) above sea level, is also an important landmark for vessels coming from the Black Sea.[1] At the summit of the hill is a terrace with benches for the comfort of pilgrims visiting the mosque and the tomb of Saint Joshua. To the north of the hill, Yoros Castle is situated.[2]
| Joshua's Hill | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 195 m (640 ft) |
| Coordinates | 41°09′45.18″N 29°05′6.90″E |
| Naming | |
| Native name | Yuşa Tepesi (Turkish) |
| Geography | |
  Joshua's Hill Bosporus, Beykoz district, Istanbul, Turkey | |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Hill |
Tomb of Joshua
At the top of the hill, a giant symbolic grave stands, known to the Europeans as the "Giant's Grave". It is believed by some Muslims to be the tomb of Prophet Joshua. Alternative traditional sites for the Prophet's tomb are situated in Israel (the Shia shrine at Al-Nabi Yusha'), Jordan (An-Nabi Yusha’ bin Noon, a Sunni shrine near the city of Al-Salt[3][4]) and Iraq (the Nabi Yusha' shrine of Baghdad[3]).
A flat, rectangular earthen rise 17 meters (56 ft) long and 2 meters (6.6 ft) wide. The roofless area is surrounded with a high cast-iron grate, enclosed by means of an iron netting. The point is that the local inhabitants consider the grave miraculous and come here in order to be healed of their illnesses. But, the iron netting prevents the pilgrim from touching the holy ground inside the fence.
The ground is overgrown with thick grass. Several high trees grow. At the opposite end of the grave are two circular cylindrical stones, which are reminiscent of small millstones. In the center of one of them are seen a quadrangular opening and a very noticeable fissure. All this is enclosed by a stone wall, in which two doors and several windows have been made. The pilgrims enter one of the doors, pass around the grave in a circle and exit outside through a second door.
Yuşa Mosque
Yuşa Mosque (Turkish: Hazreti Yuşa Cami) was built by Grand Vizier Yirmisekizzade Mehmed Said Pasha in 1755 with an adjacent shrine. This small mosque had stone walls and a split roof structure because it was burnt. The mosque was restored during the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz in 1863.
See also
References
- YUŞA (JOSHUA) TOMB
- Joshua's Hill Guide
- Mazar Hazrat Yusha’ bin Noon, on the website of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada
- Tomb of Prophet Yusha' (photo of the tomb; Islamic view on Prophet Yusha'/Joshua)