Al-Masfi Mosque and Tutunji House reopen in Mosul after reconstruction efforts

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, Nineveh Governorate unveiled the reopening of Mosul's earliest-constructed mosque, the Al-Masfi, and the Tutunji House after extensive reconstruction efforts to rectify the damages inflicted during the conflict with the ISIS organization.

Yousif Al-Abd Rabo, Director of the Sunni Endowment (Waqf) in Nineveh, told Shafaq News Agency that the reopening comes after the restoration work carried out by the ALIPH organization in collaboration with the Iraqi Ministry of Culture.

The Al-Masfi Mosque also recognized as the Umayyad Mosque, was erected shortly after the Islamic conquest of the city in 638 CE. While the current structure traces its origins to the 19th century, it derives its name from Al-Haj Mohammed Musfa Al-Thamarab, a prosperous benefactor who financed its reconstruction in 1847.

In collaboration with the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH) of Nineveh and the Waqf authorities, a team of French experts led by La Guilde Europeenne du Raid, with support from the French Institut National du Patrimoine, undertook the mosque's rehabilitation.

The rehabilitation project aligns with the Mosul Mosaic initiative, dedicated to safeguarding the cultural heritage of Mosul, particularly its religious diversity.

Furthermore, the Tutunji House was also officially reopened after undergoing rehabilitation.

The Director-General of the Directorate of Research and Archaeological Excavations, Prof. Ali Obeid Shalgham, declared the completion of the restoration during the opening ceremony, highlighting its status as the largest historical house dating back to 1817.

Shalgham pointed out that local and international support efforts, particularly ALIPH, "aimed to restore the house to its original splendor with intricate decorations, showcasing the authenticity and history of Mosul and holding cherished memories for its residents."

He also suggested broader consideration for the building's potential, proposing its transformation into a heritage museum to captivate visitors in Mosul.

Tutunji House, constructed between 1808 and 1817, is a remarkable representation of a late Ottoman central courtyard house adorned with opulent marble bas-reliefs. These intricately carved reliefs symbolize the city's rich history as a thriving hub of international trade. Acquired SBAH in 1981, the house underwent recent renovations just before falling under the control of Daesh in 2014. During the occupation, Daesh repurposed the building as an explosive factory, causing substantial damage. The structure faced near destruction before the liberation of Mosul in 2017.

Collaborating closely with the SBAH and Mosul University, the University of Pennsylvania led efforts to restore this iconic house.

After capturing Mosul in mid-2014, ISIS unleashed a wave of unprecedented destruction of cultural heritage.

The terrorist group deliberately targeted many of Mosul's most sensitive and important cultural sites, including the Mosul Museum, the ancient archaeological site of Nineveh, the Great Mosque of al-Nuri, and al-Habda Minaret.

In response to the widespread destruction of heritage sites, the international community has initiated multimillion-dollar initiatives to reconstruct the city's cultural heritage.