Al-Andalus closes

Amid all the good news of the birthday, there is still news of regions disappearing from the grid – frequently among the most interesting ones, too.

News comes on Facebook that Al-Andalus is closing tomorrow, June 6th.  In fact, when I went over there, it seemed that the two core sims had already gone.

The message explains: “After five years, three years more than she expected, Rose (Springvale) is stepping out of the role of Estate Owner of Al Andalus … It has been a great successful project, but there just isn’t much interest anymore. Thanks for your support!”

As Delia Lake, a long term supporter, adds: “It has been a pleasure to have these beautiful sims for all of the past five years. I’ve made friends I would never otherwise met. I’ve learned history of peoples and cultures about which I knew little before. I’ve had numerous conversations with many people about what it is to be a community when the members are diverse in so many ways. Thank you to everyone who participated in Al Andalus over the years.”

We covered the public launch of the first two Al-Andalus sims back in the magazine in March 2008.  The original premise was to re-create some of the most famous palaces, gardens, plazas and great buildings – such as the Great Mosque of Cordoba – of the medieval kingdom of Granada, where Christians, Jews and Muslims met in an amazing cross-cultural environment. It was a fascinating – and timely – concept, to re-create a time and culture where divergent faiths came together … perhaps never quite as harmoniously as some might have hoped, but certainly with some stability.

As an experiment in virtual democracy, they federated for a time with the Confederation of Democratic Sims, and at this time were featured on Designing Worlds. Later they left, and I must confess I haven’t visited for some time.  And now, sadly, it seems it’s too late.