| |
| |
| |
| Bellapais
(“Abbaye de la Paix”) was founded by a Roman
Catholic monks who had fled Jerusalem following the
capture of Jerusalem by Saladin in 1187. However the
monks soon became known for their rather lax and luxurious
lifestyle, and the abbey became a tempting target. It
was plundered first by the Genoese and later by the
Ottomans, and most of the buildings were destroyed—although
the church continued to be used. |
| |
|
The
Village & Abbey from the East |
| |
|
The
forecourt |
The
ruins of the cloister |
|
| |
|
The
interior of the church |
| |
|
Roman
sarcophagus used as a wash basin by the monks |
| |
|
| |
|
The
Abbey Bell Tower Restaurant |
| |
|
The
Abbey from the restaurant |
| |
|
The
owner and his nephew |
A
green tree frog |
|
| |
|
|
| |
| |
| |
|
