Joshua's Hill
Joshua's Hill, a hill located on the Anatolian shore of the Bosporus in the Beykoz district of Istanbul, Turkey, is a shrine consisting of a mosque and a tomb dedicated to Yusha. The summit of the hill is 202 metres above sea level and an important landmark for vessels coming from the Black Sea. On the summit is a terrace with benches for the comfort of pilgrims visiting the mosque and the tomb of Saint Joshua. To the north of the hill is Yoros Castle.
History
Although the hill is now a centre for Muslim pilgrimage, it had been sanctified long before the coming of Islam. At one time there was a temple to Zeus on its summit and the peak was known as the Bed of Hercules. In Byzantine times this was replaced by a church dedicated to St Michael which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1509.Tomb of Joshua
At the top of the hill stands a giant symbolic grave known to Europeans as the "Giant's Grave". Some Muslims believe it to be the tomb of Yuşa (Joshua) although there are alternative possible sites in Israel, Jordan and Iraq.A flat, rectangular earthen rise long and wide, the unroofed area is surrounded by a cast-iron grate. Local inhabitants consider the grave miraculous and come here to pray to be healed of their illnesses.
The tomb area is planted with miniature begonias and surrounded by mature trees. At one end of the grave are two cylindrical stones reminiscent of small millstones. In the centre of one of them are a quadrangular opening and a very noticeable fissure. The grave is surrounded by a stone wall containing two doors and several windows. Visitors enter through one of the doors, pass around the grave in a circle and exit through the second one.