Day 01
Samarra Highlights Tour
- Connect with your tour guide to start the program and visit the historical Al-Ashiq Palace. It was commissioned under the 15th Abbasid caliph Al-Mu'tamid, and construction took place between 877 and 882. Accounts differ regarding the person assigned to construct this palace. Yaqut al-Hamawi mentions the names of Ali bin Yahi al-Munajam and Moez al-Dawla, who initiated the groundbreaking. Emir 'Amad al-Dawla wrote a poem about this palace. During the medieval period, it was referred to as 'al-Ma'shuq' (Arabic: المعشوق), which means 'beloved'. The palace was excavated in the 1960s and restored during the 1980s.
- Then, head to the Al-Askari Shrine, also known as the Al-Askari Mosque. It is a Shia Muslim mosque and mausoleum in the Iraqi city of Samarra, 125 km (78 mi) from Baghdad. It is one of the most important Shia shrines in the world and was built in 944. The dome was destroyed in a bombing by extremists in February 2006, and its two remaining minarets were destroyed in another bombing in June 2007, causing widespread anger among Shias. The remaining clock tower was also destroyed in July 2007. The dome and minarets were repaired, and the mosque reopened in April 2009.
- Next, proceed to Almalwiya, the Great Mosque of Samarra. It 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 in Samarra from 847 until 861. At the time of construction, it was the world's largest mosque. It is known for its 52-metre (171 ft) high minaret encircled by a spiral ramp. The mosque is located within the 15,058-hectare (37,210-acre) Samarra Archaeological City UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed in 2007.
- Afterwards, go to the Caliphate Palace before concluding the tour.
