ARTICLE | My visit to the Cat Sanctuary at Larnaca, Cyprus

A week ago i visited Hala Sultan Tekke to see the cats there and take a few photos.

Hala Sultan Tekke or the Mosque of Umm Haram (Greek: Τεκές Χαλά Σουλτάνας) is a Muslim shrine on the west bank of Larnaca Salt Lake, near Larnaca, Cyprus.

Hala Sultan Tekke complex is composed of a mosque, mausoleum, minaret, cemetery, and living quarters for men and women. The term tekke (convent) applies to a building designed specifically for gatherings of a Sufi brotherhood, or tariqa, and may have referred to an earlier feature of the location. The present-day complex, open to all and not belonging to a single religious movement, lies in a serene setting on the shores of the Larnaca Salt Lake, which appears to be an important site also in prehistory. Hala Sultan Tekke is a listed Ancient Monument.

Larnaca Salt Lake

Larnaca Salt Lake (Greek: Αλυκή Λάρνακας) is a complex network of four salt lakes (3 of them interconnected) of different sizes to the west of the city of Larnaca. The largest is lake Aliki, followed by lake Orphani, lake Soros and lake Spiro. They form the second largest salt lake in Cyprus after the Limassol Salt Lake. The total surface area of the lakes adds up to 2.2 km2 with an average depth of 1 m. Being just off the road leading to Larnaca International Airport, it is one of the most distinctive landmarks of the area. It is considered one of the most important wetlands of Cyprus and it has been declared a Ramsar site, Natura 2000 site, Special Protected Area under the Barcelona Convention and an Important Bird Area (IBA). It is surrounded by halophytic scrubland and on its bank lies the Hala Sultan Tekke, one of the holiest of shrines within Ottoman Islam. It houses the tomb of Umm Haram, Muhammad's 'wet-nurse'.

Besides its picturesque beauty, the lake is the haunt of 85 species of water-birds with estimated populations between 20,000–38,000. It is one of the important migratory passages through Cyprus. You'll often see flamingos on the lake.

Credits to Youtube Channel george karageorgis for the following video

The Cat Sanctuary

Just outside the Hala Sultan Tekke is a small shelter which used to be a restaurant. There you'll find hundreds of cats. Many people bring stray or unwanted cats there as well as food, water and old clothing.

Here are two photos which i took.

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