Iraq
A UNESCO reconstruction team stands atop scaffolding around Mosul’s al-Hadba minaret. Photo: UNESCO/Abdullah Rashid.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Reconstruction work has finished on Mosul’s iconic al-Hadba minaret that was destroyed by jihadists, the United Nations agency leading the project announced on Thursday.
The al-Nouri mosque and its al-Hadba minaret, with a pronounced tilt, were beloved features in Mosul’s skyline for 850 years. The leaning minaret appears on Iraq’s 10,000 dinar banknote. The site was destroyed by Islamic State (ISIS) militants in 2017 as Iraqi troops gained ground during the battle to retake the city from the militants.
After the war was over, the United Nations educational, scientific, and cultural organization (UNESCO) led the effort to rebuild the landmark.
“Today @UNESCO celebrates a landmark achievement ! The completion of the shaft of the Al-Hadba Minaret marks a new milestone in the revival of the city, with a for the people of Mosul. A powerful symbol of resilience, a clear result of international cooperation,” UNESCO announced in a post on X on Thursday.
Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO director general, thanked donors, local authorities, and professionals “who worked on the ground, many of whom are Moslawis [people of Mosul],” in a post on X.
The minaret was built in 1172 by the ruler Nur al-Din. It was given the name al-Hadba, meaning the hunchback, in the 14th century when it began to noticeably lean.
In April, 2018, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), UNESCO and Iraq signed an agreement to rebuild the mosque complex, as well as the minaret. The UAE contributed $50.4 million to the reconstruction.
A competition was launched in November 2020 and the winning design belonged to a team led by Salah El Din Samir Hareedy, who envisioned reconstruction of the main prayer hall to what it was before the mosque was destroyed.
The old city of Mosul was the last stronghold for ISIS in Iraq and bore the brunt of fierce clashes that caused widespread destruction of its buildings.
The mosque was famously used by ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on July 4, 2014 when he announced his caliphate from the mosque’s pulpit.
ISIS rose to power and seized swathes of Iraqi and Syrian land in a brazen offensive in 2014. While the group was declared territorially defeated in Iraq in 2017, it continues to pose serious security risks through hit-and-run attacks, bombings, and abductions.
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