5/5 Twana T. 9 months ago on Google • 100 reviews
It
is
no
surprise
that
Iraq
today,
despite
all
the
destruction
and
conflicts
inflicted
upon
it
over
the
centuries,
is
still
brimming
with
fascinating
archaeological
and
world
heritage
treasures.
Historically
known
as
Mesopotamia,
the
region
was
called
the
cradle
of
civilisation
for
a
reason
as
it
was
the
home
of
numerous
empires
and
civilisations
since
the
sixth
millennium
BC;
from
the
Sumerian,
Assyrian
and
Babylonian
civilisations,
to
a
great
many
Muslim
empires
and
caliphates.
One
such
treasure
is
the
ancient
capital
city
of
Samarra,
founded
by
the
Muslim
Abbasid
Caliph
Al-Mutasim
in
the
ninth
century.
Samarra
was
the
second
capital
of
the
Abbasid
Caliphate
after
Baghdad,
ruling
over
the
provinces
of
the
Abbasid
Empire
which
extended
from
Tunisia
to
Central
Asia,
and
it
continues
to
be
the
only
surviving
Islamic
capital
which
has
preserved
its
original
plan
and
architecture.
The
name
Samarra
is
derived
from
the
Arabic
phrase
"Surra
man
ra'a",
meaning
"A
joy
for
all
those
who
see
it".
Home
to
the
Great
Mosque
of
Samarra
with
its
iconic
Malwiya
(Arabic
for
"twisted")
Minaret,
the
Samarra
Archaeological
City
was
listed
as
a
UNESCO
World
Heritage
Site
in
2007.
The
Great
Mosque,
constructed
in
848–852
during
the
reign
of
the
Abbasid
Caliph
Al-Mutawakil,
was
the
largest
in
the
world
for
over
400
years
before
it
was
destroyed
in
1278
following
Mongol
ruler
Hulagu
Khan's
invasion
of
Iraq.
Today,
only
the
outer
wall
of
the
mosque
and
the
malwiya
minaret
remain.
Originally
connected
to
the
mosque
by
a
bridge,
the
minaret
is
characterised
by
a
distinctive
ascending
spiral
conical
design
which
rotates
counter-clockwise
from
the
bottom
up.
A
spiral
staircase
leads
to
the
top
of
the
minaret,
where
a
muadhin
would
recite
the
Muslim
call
to
prayer.
One
of
the
most
prominent
architectural
structures
in
the
historical
city,
the
minaret
stands
at
52
metres
high
and
33
metres
wide
at
the
base.
It
is
believed
that
its
design
was
intended
as
a
a
strong
visual
statement
of
the
presence
of
Islam
in
the
Tigris
Valley,
as
it
is
visible
from
a
distance
in
areas
around
Samarra.
The
monument,
which
proudly
features
on
Iraqi
banknotes
today,
once
drew
visitors
from
around
the
world
who
would
come
to
ascend
its
towering
path
for
panoramic
views
of
the
city
and
admire
its
unusual
design
which
has
survived
for
over
1,000
years.
After
the
2003
US
invasion
of
Iraq,
American
soldiers
used
the
minaret
as
a
watchtower
and
the
site
became
a
theatre
for
clashes
and
military
operations.
The
top
of
the
minaret
was
bombed
by
insurgents
in
2005
and
left
partially
destroyed.
After
the
withdrawal
of
US
forces
from
Iraq,
the
historic
site
was
subjected
to
more
armed
conflict
and
sectarian
violence
which
was
exacerbated
by
Daesh
militants
taking
control
over
large
parts
of
the
Saladin
Governorate,
which
includes
Samarra.
In
the
eyes
of
many
of
the
city's
residents,
Samarra
no
longer
reflects
the
phrase
"Surra
man
ra'a"
(A
joy
for
all
those
who
see
it)
but
rather
"Sa'a
man
ra'a"
(A
sadness
for
those
all
who
see
it),
a
phrase
which
is
now
commonly
used
amongst
Iraqis.
But
despite
the
devastation
that
befell
Iraq
over
the
centuries
and
the
turmoil
which
continues
to
engulf
the
country
today,
the
minaret
of
the
Great
Mosque
where
up
to
80,000
worshippers
once
gathered
to
pray
has
endured.
Its
remarkable,
imposing
form
stands
defiant
as
a
testament
to
Iraq's
extraordinary
architectural
heritage
and
innovative
design
which
was
ahead
of
its
time.
