| Duration: | 10 Hour(s) - 0 Minute(s) |
| Tour Category: | Half Day Tour |
Samarra:
The city of Samarra is located 120 km north of Baghdad on the eastern side of the Tigris River, and soon it turned into a major city in which the Arab and Islamic civilization flourished in its various manifestations and in which ingenuity appeared in the engineering of urban planning and architecture. It was even called (Glad to See) because of the beauty of its buildings and palaces, gardens, and the vastness of its areas, and one can see that through its hills that are spread today over an area that is 34 km long and 2-4 km wide, that it why it is one of the largest cities in the world by area.
Samarra was founded by the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mu’tasim Billah and he transformed it to the capital of the caliphate in lieu of Baghdad in the year 221 AH/836 AD. Samarra remained the capital of the Abbasids for more than half a century and was inhabited by eight caliphs: Al-Mu’tasim, Al-Wathiq, Al-Mutawakkil, Al-Muntasir, Al-Musta’id, Al-Mu’tazz, Al-Muhtadi, and Al-Mu’tamid.
The most important landmarks you can visit in Samarra are:
Malwiya Mosque:
The Great Mosque of Samarra is a mosque from the 9th century CE located in Samarra, Iraq. The mosque was commissioned in 848 and completed in 851 by the Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil who reigned from 847 until 861. At the time of construction, it was the world's largest mosque
The mosque’s most prominent attachment is the minaret that is identified at a height of 52 m and at a distance of 27 m from the northern side of the mosque. It is based on a square base with a side length of 32 meters, above which a spiral ascent begins, around which it revolves five rounds counterclockwise, and ends with a cylindrical top with a small dome above it. Since 1200 years ago, there were no loudspeakers, so the muezzin climbed to the minaret so that everyone could hear the call to prayer.
The Abbasid Palace:
The Abbasid Palace was probably established by Caliph Al-Naser Ledinillah in the 12th century, during the Abbasid period of history, making it one of the oldest palaces in the world, and it is the oldest surviving building in Baghdad.
