Ijnisinya
| Ijnisinya | |
|---|---|
| Other transcription(s) | |
| • Arabic | اجنسنيا |
| • Also spelled | Ajnisinya (official) |
 Ijnisinya
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| Coordinates: 32°16′23″N 35°12′59″E / 32.27306°N 35.21639°ECoordinates: 32°16′23″N 35°12′59″E / 32.27306°N 35.21639°E | |
| Palestine grid | 170/186 |
| Governorate | Nablus |
| Government | |
| • Type | Village council |
| • Head of Municipality | Abdul Jabbar Shayeb |
| Population (2007) | |
| • Jurisdiction | 505 |
Ijnisinya (Arabic: اجنسنيا, ‘Ijnisinyâ) is a Palestinian village located twelve kilometers northwest of Nablus in the Nablus Governorate. Most of the working-age inhabitants live as farmers. It has a population of about 560. Ijnisinya is governed by a village council. The village's history dates back to Byzantine rule in Palestine.
The Roman Empress Helena of Constantinople who temporarily resided in nearby Sebastia used to swim in the lake in Ijinsinya with her maids. The area at the time was a small lake surrounded by gardens. Men were forbidden from entering the area by Empress Helena in order to guarantee her and her maids' privacy. The name Ijnisinya derives from Greek, translating as "the Eden of women" reflecting the original use of the village site.
There is an Ancient Roman building named Sheikh Shu'la that lies atop a hill overlooking three villages, including Ijnisinya as well as, Sebastia, and an-Naqura. The building is originally said to be a Roman monastery seven floors high. The remains of the monastery include stone closets, a prison, galleys, secret passageways, and several wells. Its name, Shu'leh is one of a number of Arabic words meaning "fire". The building was named thus because the Ayyubid sultan Saladin used it and similar buildings to transmit messages using fire.
The Romans used some of the village lands for a cemetery after Christianity became the Roman Empire's official religion. It is popular belief that these graves contain treasures. The graves are generally referred to as "Christian graves", or Khallet Issa. Byzantine ceramics have been found in the area as well.
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