A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. The primary purpose of the mosque is to serve as a place where Muslims can come together for prayer. Mosques are widely recognized for their importance in the Muslim community and in Islamic architecture. They have evolved significantly from the open-air spaces of the Quba Mosque and Masjid al-Nabawi of the 7th century, and most modern mosques have elaborate domes, minarets, and prayer halls. Mosques originated on the Arabian Peninsula, but can now be found on all six inhabited continents. They are not only places for worship and prayer, but also places for believers to interact and to learn about Islam. Other faiths' places of worship, such as synagogues and churches, have often been converted into mosques.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1214: Philip II of France (pictured) decisively won the Battle of Bouvines and took undisputed control of the territories of Anjou, Brittany, Maine, Normandy and the Touraine. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bouvines)

1865: A group of Welsh settlers arrived at Chubut Valley in Argentina's Patagonia region. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_settlement_in_Argentina)

1921: University of Toronto researchers led by Frederick Banting announced the discovery of the hormone insulin. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/insulin)

1953: A cease-fire was established in the Korean War. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War)

1996: Centennial Olympic Park bombing: A pipe bomb exploded during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, killing two and injuring 111. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial_Olympic_Park_bombing)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

"In soft deluding lies let fools delight. A shadow marks our days, which end in Night." -- Hilaire Belloc (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Hilaire_Belloc)