Mosul Grand Mosque

The Great Mosque of Mosul, formerly known as Saddam Mosque, is a massive religious edifice located in the Al Zira'i neighborhood on the left eastern bank of the Tigris River in the city of Mosul, and is considered one of the most prominent religious landmarks in the governorate and one of the largest mosques in Iraq.

Work on its construction began in the late 1990s as part of the Faith Campaign launched by the former regime, which included building large mosques in every Iraqi governorate. However, work stopped in 2003 and has not been completed to this day.

The project has since been referred three times to different contractors, suffering from corruption problems and repeated work stoppages over more than two decades. Funding to complete its construction was offered in exchange for changing its name, but the people of the city refused.

The mosque's area extends to approximately 75,000 square meters, containing a main hall of 6,000 square meters accommodating more than 5,000 worshippers, with 18 domes.

Its design contains clear references to the local identity of Mosul, most prominently a direct borrowing of the shape of the chamomile flower, considered a symbol of the city of Mosul. The domes gather around the large central dome, together forming a shape resembling this flower, the same central formation that appears in the circular openings of traditional residential facades in Mosul, making it an architectural masterpiece that belongs deeply to the spirit of its city and its authentic visual identity.