Sacred Places

Sacred Places

Alph

sacred river in Xanadu. [Br. Poetry: Coleridge “Kubla Kahn”]

Delphi

shrine sacred to Apollo and site of temple and oracle. [Gk. Myth.: Brewer Dictionary, 274]

Ganges

river sacred to the Hindus, who are freed from sin by bathing in it. [Hinduism: Brewer Dictionary, 385]

Holy Bottle

oracle consulted by Panurge to ascertain whether he should many. [Fr. Lit.: Rabelais Gargantua and Pantagruel]

Kaaba

central shrine at Mecca. [Islamic Religion: Brewer Dictionary, 513]

Mecca

holy city where Muhammad was born. [Islamic Religion: Brewer Dictionary, 596]

Medina

holy city to which Muhammad fled from Mecca. [Islamic Religion: Brewer Dictionary, 596]

Monsalvat

the mountain of salvation where the Holy Grail is guarded by knights. [Ger. Opera: Wagner Parsifal in Benét, 761]

Nemi lake

in Italy, sacred to the cult of Diana and site of human sacrifices. [Rom. Myth.: EB, XVI, 211]

Zem Zem

sacred well in Mecca where Hagar revived Ishmael. [Moslem Tradition: Brewer Dictionary, 969]

Allusions—Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical: A Thematic Dictionary. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.