Great Mosque of Samarra
The Great Mosque of Samarra is a mosque from the 9th century CE located in Samarra, Iraq. The mosque was commissioned in 848 CE and completed in 851 CE by the Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil who reigned (in Samarra) from 847 CE until 861 CE. At the time of construction, it was the world’s largest mosque. It is known for its 52 metres high minaret encircled by a spiral ramp. The mosque is 15,058-hectare. The mosque itself was destroyed in 1278 C.E. (656 A.H.), after Hulagu Khan’s invasion of Iraq. Only the outer wall and its minaret remain.[8] However, the Iraqi State Organization of Antiquities have been working closely with historians and architects in a restoration process starting in 1956. The mosque’s main structure is encompassed by a baked brick wall on the outer edge including forty-four semi-circular towers supporting the structure.
The outer wall includes twenty-eight windows. Twenty-four of them are facing the southeastern side, the qiblah. The prayer hall featured a large mihrab framed as an arch. There was a fountain in the center of the courtyard that was covered and decorated in marble tile and mosaics. This fountain was believed to be carved from one large stone and carried to this area by elephants. It was constructed by caliph al-Wathiq. “The Twisted Minaret” or “The Snail Shell Minaret” was originally connected to the mosque by a bridge. The minaret or tower was constructed in 848–852 of sandstone, and is unique among other minarets because of its ascending spiral conical design.
- Great Mosque of Samarra
- Location: Samarra
- Country: Iraq
- Area:15,058 Hectare
