More than a year after the destruction of the Great Mosque in the Northern Iraqi city of Mosul , the reconstruction of the historic building has begun. The foundation stone was laid at a small celebration in the Alstadt. Also to be built is the famous leaning minaret, a landmark of the city.
The „Islamic State“ (IS) had blown up the mosque in the summer of 2017 as the battle for the city reached its final phase and the defeat of the terrorist militia was imminent. The place is extremely symbolic: In the mosque IS leader Abu Bakr al Bagdadi proclaimed in 2014 the „caliphate“ of the jihadists.
The prayer house dates back to the 12th century and is also known as Al Nuri Mosque. The oblique 45-meter-high minaret is also called „Al-Hadba“ („The Crooked“) or jokingly called „The Leaning Tower of Mosul“.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) are giving about $ 50 million (41 million euros) to rebuild Mosul’s heritage, including the mosque, following an agreement with UNESCO and Iraq.
