Ernst Herzfeld: Große Moschee, Südfront, 1911, Glasnegativ, 13 x 18 cm, Museum für Islamische Kunst, Inv. Nr. Pl. Sam 307Ernst Herzfeld: Große Moschee, Südfront, 1911-1913. Glasnegativ, 18 x 13 cm, Museum für Islamische Kunst, Inv. Nr. Pl. Sam 307

VOICES AND MEMORIES OF SAMARRA

In 2013, for the 100 year anniversary of the excavation, the Museum of Islamic Art showed an exhibition of the legendary residential city Samarra, located around 120 km north of Baghdad by the Tigris, which served as a seat of government for the powerful Abbasid Caliphate from 836 to 892. Samarra was one of the world's most elaborate city complexes. It covered an almost 50 km expanse with its gigantic palaces, mosques, hunting reserves, polo playing fields and horse racing tracks.

The following interviews were given as part of the exhibition "Samarra - Centre of the World, 100 and 1 Years of Archaeological Research by the Tigris".

Zein Alnaqshbandi and Omar Hussein

Samarra 2012


Julia Gonnella

Samarra - the centre of the world


Excavtion and sites in Samarra


Amir and Miriam Mahdi

Samarra in the '80s


Stefan Weber

Samarra in the Museum for Islamic Art


MORE STORIES ABOUT SAMARRA

THE CAPITAL OF A GLOBAL EMPIRE OVER TIME

He who sees it is delighted!

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DIGITALISING SAMARRA

All of the 1.500 or so preserved photographs of two excavation campaigns are now available for the first time.

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