Photo by: Mohammad Dargalayi

Built between 1190 and 1232 AD during the rule of Muzaffar al-Din al-Kawkaboori, the minaret is widely believed to be the only surviving element of the Muzaffariya Mosque

Al-Kawkaboori, then-ruler of Erbil under the command of Kurdish-Islamic leader Saladin, oversaw a period of significant urban development.

As part of this growth, al-Kawkaboori established two schools, a mosque, and the historic Qaysari Bazaar. The Mudhafaria Minaret was constructed as part of these efforts.

Though originally a site of religious life, the area around the minaret is relatively empty compared to the rest of the old town, which led to its local name, Choli Minaret, meaning “Desolate Minaret.”

Erbil, or Hewler in Kurdish, is often called the “City of Citadel and Minaret.” The city’s iconic citadel is one of the oldest continuously inhabited areas in the world.

The minaret, located approximately one kilometer west of Erbil’s citadel, is 36 meters tall. The lower part of the structure begins with a seven-faceted design that transitions to eight at the seven-meter mark.

he structure is composed of baked bricks and features Kufi calligraphy along its surface.