Samarra's Qubbat al-Sulaybiyya partially collapses; security presence blocks restoration
Shafaq News- Saladin
Parts of the Qubbat al-Sulaybiyya, one of the oldest surviving Islamic domed mausolea, have collapsed in Samarra, Iraq's State Boards of Antiquities and Heritage said on Saturday, calling for the site to be vacated immediately to allow restoration work to begin.
Built in the ninth century near the Lover's Palace (Qasr al-Ashiq) on the Samarra-Tikrit road, the structure is believed to contain the remains of several Abbasid caliphs, including al-Muntasir, al-Mu'tazz, and al-Muhtadi. Also known as the Dome of the Caliphs or the Shrine of al-Mu'tasim, it is attributed by some historical accounts to Caliph al-Mu'tasim, the eighth Abbasid ruler who reigned between 833 and 842 CE and relocated the seat of the caliphate to Samarra.
A source at the Saladin Antiquities and Heritage Directorate told Shafaq News the collapse was caused by erosion, the structure's advanced age, and a chronic absence of routine maintenance. Situated on the western bank of the Tigris in an open area north of Samarra, the monument has no adequate protective measures against wind, rain, dust storms, or extreme temperature variation. Authorities have assessed the initial damage and are preparing a comprehensive technical report ahead of restoration.
The State Boards of Antiquities and Heritage confirmed that security forces have deployed at the site since it was affected by terrorism and security instability in previous years. The agency said it has previously written formally to Saladin's provincial authorities and relevant agencies urging all concerned parties to expedite the evacuation and enable specialized technical teams to carry out their work in a manner befitting the site's historical standing.
“Restoration cannot proceed until the site is formally handed over to archaeological authorities,” the Borad warned.
Archaeologist Ahmad al-Abbasi told our agency that further deterioration of the structure —part of Samarra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site— would constitute a significant loss to Iraq's civilizational heritage, already weakened by decades of war, neglect, and insecurity.
