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Jalil Khayat Mosque
Erbil's grandest mosque, completed in 2007 and built by the Khayat family, draws on the great Ottoman and Egyptian mosques that inspired it. Its pale stone façade, twin minarets and large central dome — richly decorated inside with calligraphy, marble and chandeliers — make it one of the most striking modern landmarks in the city.
2 stops to discover
- 1
A Cascade of Domes
The largest mosque in Erbil was completed in 2007, built in a modern interpretation of Abbasid and Ottoman styles. Its central dome rises 48 metres and is ringed by four half-domes and twelve quarter-domes, creating a cascading silhouette that deliberately echoes the Blue Mosque in Istanbul and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali in Cairo.
- 2
Inside the Prayer Hall
Step inside and the mood changes entirely. The expansive prayer hall is covered in intricate mosaics, decorative tilework and elegant calligraphy, and the interior is often cited as one of the most beautiful of any mosque in the region.
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