Seven years after it was destroyed by ISIS, the iconic Al-Hadba minaret in Mosul, Iraq, has finally been restored.
Last week, the Azaan, or Islamic call to prayer, was broadcast from the rebuilt minaret for the first time since restoration was completed.
Ali Al-Baroodi, an Iraqi photographer and photojournalist from Mosul, has been following the restoration of the landmark since it began and joined The World’s Host Marco Werman to discuss its significance.
Marco Werman: Can you describe the old Al-Hadba minaret for us? It was centuries old, right? It’s part of the al-Nuri mosque, and famously, that minaret was leaning to one side, right?
Ali Al-Baroodi: Yes. It is one of the identity marks of Mosul. Mosul is known for many things, but the Al-Hadba minaret is like a distinctive mosque, the tallest structure in the old town. The old town is very, very plain, and suddenly, you see almost a 55-meter-high structure built 850 years ago. It’s truly a miraculous building; sometimes we fall short of words. That’s why it was a priority to bring it back.
Yeah, 55 meters … That’s more than 150ft. So, the minaret must be visible from the outer limits of Mosul?
Yeah. You can see it in many parts. Even during the deliberation battle, we used to see it from this part of the city, sometimes wrapped and blanketed by smoke or plumes of the battle. Most of the people were wondering if it was going to keep standing. Because there were many warnings and projects to restore it even before ISIS. In 2011, there was some shocking news about the fragility of this structure. And imagine a huge urban battle hitting that ancient old part of the city. And we were all wondering, is it going to stand? Is it going to survive the war like the people around it?
Well, yeah. How was it destroyed in 2017?
Well, according to the footage circulated on social media and analyzed by many experts, it seems that the structure and the mosque and the whole compound were rigged with explosives. And up to a couple of weeks ago, they were working and restoring, and they were still finding explosives inside the mosque. And the workers stopped a couple of weeks ago.
Wow. Still?
Yeah. Up to a couple of weeks ago, there were some explosives found, and the site was evacuated. And then, they were removed and dismantled away from the compound. So[back in 2017], it was at night, the 21st of June, ISIS was cornered in the old town during the battle, and it was a huge, giant thing in our mind. And that image of the leaning minaret is no longer there. Imagine that a structure that is 850 years ancient, it stood all those centuries with many waves of invaders and occupiers, and nobody touched this beauty. And all of a sudden it’s down. We kept wondering, like, “Why?”
What was the reaction among people and yourself when this happened?
Like tears. And sadness. And shock. As if we lost a family member. That’s what all people said because in Mosul, one of the names of the Hadba minaret was “Our Mother Minaret” or “Our Mother Hadba.” So, it was like losing a family member.
So, Ali, what does the newly restored minaret look like?
It is not as leaning as before, which is good because the architectural factors were considered. It is leaning. It’s not as leaned as before. And this is a positive thing. Again, you can see it from all around the city. You can see it from eastern Mosul. I live in eastern Mosul, and we can see some parts. We can see it from the other bridge. We can see it next to the churches, the minaret and the church tower. This is the old town. This is Mosul, a multi-ethnic, multi-religious city.
How did it feel to see this process completed, Ali?
Well, there are many things, to be honest. Scores of millions of dollars have been pumped into Mosul, which is encouraging and supporting the will of reconstruction. And it is not only the mosque, by the way. Many churches were included in the project and the initiative to restore ancient sites. Let’s not forget the Dominican Church of the Clock (Our Lady of the Hour Church). It’s fully back. Let’s not forget the Al-Tahira Church, where Pope Francis prayed about three years ago. It was restored, and it will be reopened soon. And that’s all within the initiative of restoring these precious ancient sites. Most importantly, the role of the minaret is not only [to be] seen in the Mosul skyline and cityscape. The minaret opened windows for Mosul to the world. There are now thousands of tourists, diplomats, diplomatic missions and NGOs visiting Mosul, knowing something about this. When I talk about this openness, it may not be well understood by many people around the world. For us, it is something known to be open to the world. So, the minaret is not only back in our skyline, but it is giving Mosul … the city, the warm bed of the minaret … a window to the world. So, you may know something about us.
How real of a sign is the restoration of the minaret and the rest of the old city that the city is getting back on its feet and putting ISIS in the rearview?
If you look at the heritage restaurants, cafes, institutions, and local museums around the old town, you can see that there are still many, like the scars of war, not easy to erase overnight or even in eight years, but life is already back there.
Parts of this interview have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
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