Shafaq News- Duhok

The historic Bamarni Mosque in northern Duhok province is nearing reopening after more than 80% of its restoration work has been completed, bringing new life to a site that dates back more than 850 years, Shafaq News learned on Sunday.

Kovan Ihsan, an archaeology specialist overseeing the restoration, explained that the work began at the initiative of several Bamarni residents, in cooperation with the Duhok Directorate of Antiquities and under the supervision of archaeology specialists.

The project will preserve the mosque’s historic character while restoring its architectural and archaeological features. Archaeological evidence dates the mosque to the Atabeg period in the 12th century, making it one of the oldest historic mosques in the area.

“The building has undergone limited changes over the centuries, including alterations to its northern wall and floor, which has been paved several times,” Ihsan noted. Part of the mosque was also damaged during military events in Bamarni in 1961.

Among the mosque’s most distinctive surviving features is its historic water system, which uses clay pipes and qanats, or underground water channels. The site also contains historic sanitary facilities, offering a glimpse into daily life in the old village.

Once the restoration is complete, the mosque will open to tourists, visitors and people interested in the area’s history and heritage, Ihsan added.

Read more: Discover Iraq: Duhok —haven and hardship in Iraqi Kurdistan's frontier