A major project to reconstruct Mosul’s Old City is nearing completion, nearly eight years after the Iraqi city was liberated from the Islamic State (ISIL).
Mosul, which means ‘the meeting point’ in Arabic, has a history dating back thousands of years, with some of the historic buildings in the Old City dating back to the 12th Century. Following the city’s occupation between June 2014 and July 2017, and the battle for its liberation, some 80% of the Old City was destroyed.
In February 2018, UNESCO launched its ‘Revive the Spirit of Mosul’ project, with US$115 million used to restore 124 heritage houses alongside four emblematic religious monuments: Al-Nouri Grand Mosque, Al-Hadba Minaret, Al-Tahera Syrian Catholic church and the Our Lady of the Hour Dominican convent and its House of Prayer.
Writing about the initiative, Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO’s Director‑General, said, “This spirit is that of a city at the crossroads of cultures and communities, a melting pot of Iraq’s plural identity, where different ethnic, linguistic and religious groups coexisted for over 2,500 years.
“With our initiative, we wanted to ensure that Mosul once again lives up to its name: al-mawsil in Arabic – the link, the junction, the bridge.”
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The famous leaning Al-Hadba Minaret was mostly destroyed in the battle (UNESCO) -
Originally dating back to the 12th century, the minaret has now been restored (UNESCO) -
The historic Suliman Al Saigh House lay in ruins in 2017 (UNESCO) -
Suliman Al Saigh House after reconstruction. There are plans to turn the space into a museum (UNESCO)
While some of the restored heritage homes, like Suliman Al Saigh House, will be turned into museums, many of the houses have been returned to their original occupants, with around 170 families benefitting from the reconstruction.
UNESCO has also been involved in the restoration of more than 400 classrooms across Mosul, including Al-Ekhlas Primary School, in the west side of the Old City. More than 5,000 teachers have also received training.
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) currently advises against all travel to parts of Iraq including Mosul. All but essential travel is advised against to the country’s capital Baghdad.
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