Rome, Italy: New Mosque

Rome, Italy: New Mosque
Originally uploaded by Sir Cam.

Roma! An old shot (scan) of my visit to the new mosque in Rome. Here's my column on the trip:
www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_18-9-2002_pg3_5 . Here's an extract: "What makes this mosque special is the combination of Roman and traditional Islamic elements. A striking feature of the mosque is the palm tree-like columns, which are said to be reminiscent of the date palms of the first mosque in Madinah. The dendritic canopy also gives the impression of hands raised in prayer. In an article on the new mosque, James Steele explains that Portoghesi feels that there is no better symbol than the tree with which to express the diversity inherent in the unity of Islam. “The roots, trunk, branches and leaves of the tree, like the various countries in which Islam prevails, are all different, and yet work together as a complete organism"."