Al-Askari Shrine: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:52, 16 June 2007

Revision as of 14:20, 16 June 2007

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The shrine around their tombs was developed in [[944]] by the [[Hamdanid dynasty|Hamdanid]] governor [[Nasir ad-Dawlah|Nasīr ad-Dawla]] and became a focus for pilgrims. It was developed and rebuilt several times in succeeding centuries,<ref>[http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/82CD9897-FE43-48AD-9484-954CC16FB1E8.htm Al-jazeera]</ref> including, in particular, by [[Basasiri|Arslan al-Basasiri]] around 1053 and by Caliph [[An-Nasir|an-Nasīr li-Dīn Allāh]] in [[1209]].

[[Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar|Nasir ad-Din Shah Qajar]] undertook the latest remodelling of the shrine in 1868, with the golden dome added in 1905. Covered in 72,000 gold pieces and surrounded by walls of light blue tiles, the dome was a dominant feature of the Samarra skyline. It was approximately 20&nbsp;[[metre]]s{{m (66&nbsp;ft)to in diameter by 68&nbsp;metres (223&nbsp;ft) high.|

20|abbr=yes|precision=0}} in diameter by {{m to ft|68|abbr=yes|precision=0}} high.

==Bombings==

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===2007 attack===

{{main|Al-Askari Mosque bombing (2007)}}

At around 8 a.m. on [[13 June]] [[2007]], suspected [[al-Qaeda]] operatives destroyed the two remaining 36{{m metreto (118&nbsp;ft)|36|abbr=yes|precision=0}}-high golden [[minaret]]s flanking the dome's ruins. No fatalities were reported. Iraqi police have reported hearing "two nearly simultaneous explosions coming from inside the mosque compound at around 8 a.m."<ref name="GB NY">{{cite news|title=Minarets on Shiite Shrine in Iraq Destroyed in Attack|url=

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/13/world/middleeast/13cnd-samarra.html?ref=world|author=Graham Bowley|date=June 13, 2007|publisher=New York Times}}</ref> A report from state run [[Iraqiya Television]] stated that "local officials said that two mortar rounds were fired at the two minarets."<ref name="GB NY"/>