Which mosque in Samarra has the famous Malwiya, a massive spiral minaret built in the 9th century?
Answer
Great Mosque of Samarra
Answer
Great Mosque of Samarra
The Great Mosque of Samarra is the mosque in Samarra whose famous Malwiya is a massive spiral minaret built in the 9th century.
Abbasid caliph al-Mutawakkil commissioned the mosque around 848–852, when Samarra served as the Abbasid capital. The original enclosure was exceptionally large, measuring roughly 239 by 156 metres, with a vast open courtyard and a hypostyle prayer hall.
The Malwiya stands outside the northern wall and rises in a widening spiral around a conical core. Its unusual form is among the most recognizable creations of Abbasid architecture. The mosque itself was damaged after Samarra declined, but substantial perimeter walls and the minaret survive.
The Malwiya is sometimes called the “spiral minaret,” but Malwiya is its proper Arabic name. It should not be confused with the smaller spiral minaret of Abu Dulaf Mosque nearby.
Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026