🕌 Great Mosque of Samarra
Iraq
About This Sacred Site
The Great Mosque of Samarra, built in the 9th century during the Abbasid Caliphate, was once the largest mosque in the world. Its most iconic feature is the Malwiya Tower, a unique 52-meter-tall spiral minaret that rises in a conical helix. Constructed by Caliph al-Mutawakkil in 848-851 CE, the mosque covered an area of 42 acres. Though much of the original structure is in ruins, the Malwiya minaret remains one of the most recognizable architectural landmarks in the Islamic world.
Key Facts
- •Was the largest mosque in the world when built in 848-851 CE
- •The Malwiya spiral minaret is 52 meters tall
- •Originally covered over 42 acres
- •Built by Abbasid Caliph al-Mutawakkil
- •UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007
Location
Coordinates: 34.2058, 43.8783
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