Al-Ukhaidir Fortress
Abassid Fortress Palace & Mosque Complex
Who were the Abbasids?
Abbasids Architecture
. They were the third Islamic Caliphate . They overthrew the Umayyad caliphate and lasted from 750 to 1258 A.D. . In 762 they moved the capital fromDamascus, in what is now Syria, northeast to Baghdad . The Abbasid period is considered a Golden Age for Islam. They flourished while Europe was in the “Dark Ages” . The Golden Age of the Abbasid Caliphate ended in 1258, when Genghis Khan's grandson, Hulagu Khan, sacked Baghdad.
. The Abbasids inherited Persian architectural traditions in Mesopotamia . They evolved distinctive styles of their own, particularly in decoration of their buildings . While they lost control of large parts of their empire after 850, their architecture continued to be copied by successor states in Iran, Egypt and North Africa.
ABBASID What is the Al-Ukhaidir Fortress?
. Also know as the Abbasid palace of Ukhaider . Located to the south west of the city of Karbala . Constructed between 774-775 by the Abbasid Caliph Isa ibn Musa . Large rectangular fortress erected in 775 AD with an outstanding defensive style . Represents Abbasid architectural innovation in the structures of its courtyards, residences and mosque . It stands on a commercial route connecting Iraq with the outside world . The complex comprises a primary hall, a large Iwan, a reception hall and servants quarters . It is believed that the fortress used to be a pre-Islamic winter palace . This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage in the Cultural category
HISTORY & SITE Deterioration
. The fortress is wasting away in the desert of Karbala from lack of maintenance Its internal and external structures have collapsed as the strong wind in the desert washed away its extremities, and its foundations have weakened because salinity infiltrated the walls.
Precendents
. A conservation project at the ancient ruins of Babylon (Funded by the U.S. and overseen by the World Monuments Fund) is an ambitious of numerous projects to begin restoration of sites across Iraq that have increasingly become accessible with improved security in recent years . In a place recovering from years of conflict, the projects promise to open Iraq’s rich, deeply layered history to study and to tourism
Proposal
Our proposal aims to preserve the integrity and state of the fortified living complex of Al-Ukhaidir (halls, courtyards, living apartments and mosque) from the harsh hot & arid climate as well as deterioration over time. . A transparent structure is to be installed to cover the mud-brick site controling the climate inside yet letting in light and air. . The implementation of the structure would allow for events to take place within the complex and hence attract tourism and boost the economy
PROPOSAL
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. The American Invasion caused restoration and reservation to halt. But for the first time since the American invasion in 2003, after years of neglect and violence, archaeologists and preservationists have once again begun working to protect and even restore parts of Babylon and other ancient ruins of Mesopotamia. . Although conservation efforts have begun again, some historical sites have been destroyed or at risk from ISIS. The militant group has destroyed a number of sites including; Hatra, Nineveh, Mosul Museum and Libraries, Nimrud, Khorsabad, Mar Behnam Monastery, Mosque of the Prophet Yunus and Imam Dur Mausoleum.
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War and violence has wreaked havoc on historical sites throughout Iraq
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CONTROVERSIES