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Photo: Bernard Gagnon — CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

About this place ↓

About Convent of St Thecla, Maaloula

Maaloula is a village built against steep cliffs in the mountains north-east of Damascus, and it is one of the very few places where people still speak Western Neo-Aramaic, a language close to the Aramaic spoken in the time of Jesus. The Convent of St Thecla is built into the rock around a cave and spring linked to Thecla, a follower of St Paul in the 1st century. According to legend, when she fled from her pursuers the mountain split open to let her through, forming the narrow gorge next to the village.

Puzzle tip: the domes and walls stand out against the rock; the cliff above is easier once they are in place.

Location
Syria, Asia
Theme
Landmark