Lyalya Tulpan

The Lyalya Tulpan mosque in Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia, is one of the most unique mosques I've seen. Built about 20 years ago, this was made to resemble a tulip (lyalya tulpan means "tulip in bloom") - the main building is meant to resemble a blooming tulip and the twin minarets are meant to resemble tulip buds. While I would have associated tulips with the Netherlands, some research into this was very enlightening. It turns out that tulips were originally native to areas including today's Turkey and Iran. Commercial cultivation began in the Ottoman Empire, where they became very popular. From there they were brought to Germany and then the Netherlands. Within Islam tulips are significant in that Shia legend holds that they spring up where martyrs die. One reference I found said that the first tulips supposedly grew when the blood of Hussein ibn Ali (Muhammad's grandson) was spilled at the Battle of Karbala. The symbol in the center of Iran's flag is the name of Allah shaped like a tulip. Viracocha built this micro rendtion of Lyalya Tulpan as an entry in the Eurobricks Architecture contest.

Abraham and Isaac

There are only a couple more days to get in your entry for the LEGO Biblical Scenes Contest. IMO, the odds-on favorite to win the Old Testament category is Blakes Baericks' Abraham and Isaac.

Bible scenes contest

I apologize for being away from blogging for the last three weeks. Anyway, in the meantime I missed the posting of the Lego Biblical Scenes Contest. You've got one more week to enter a scene in either the Old or New Testament categories. While this is short notice, at least those of my readers here in the US have a couple of days off from school or work, so maybe we can get some things going. For inspiration, let's take a look at my favorite of the entries so far, TheBricks' Ezekial and the Valley of Dry Bones. “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life." - Ezekial 37:4,5

Contest time!

Classic-Castle is a website focused on the LEGO Castle theme. The annual Colossal Castle Contest VII was just announced, and one of the categories is 'religious life.' The Church, of course, played a huge role in medieval society, and this category challenges entrants to show that in LEGO form. I'm a judge in this contest, so I'm sure there will be lots of great monasteries, cathedrals etc. to report on this blog. This contest is open to anyone who wishes to enter, so all readers of this blog should try their hands.