A reconstruction of Al-Nouri mosque is being done using the same old bricks that it was originally constructed with

Nineveh - INA

The archaeological committee supervising the reconstruction of the Al-Nouri Mosque in the city of Mosul confirmed today, Wednesday, that the construction of the mosque's minaret is continuing using old materials and the same original pieces of bricks from the minaret that were blown up by ISIS terrorist gangs in 2017.

The head of the committee, archaeologist Abdullah Mahmoud, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The construction work on the minaret of the Al-Nuri Mosque has been completely completed, and all that remains are the interior tiles and some finishes such as electrical work, windows and doors."

Mahmoud added, "We preserved the archaeological and heritage character of the minaret by using the original pieces of brick and the same mortar materials used previously. We also preserved its tilt and fine details such as the geometric decorations implemented on the body of the minaret. The return of the minaret is the return of the spirit to Mosul because it expresses the city's identity."

In turn, UNESCO site engineer Mustafa Khaled Al-Diwani told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The reconstruction of the Al-Nour Mosque by UNESCO was carried out in cooperation with the Inspectorate of Heritage and Antiquities and the Sunni Endowment in Nineveh, and now we are witnessing the completion of the construction work inside the minaret completely."

Al-Diwani added, "The documented artifacts that were obtained from within the site were included, which are approximately 25 thousand artifacts from the body of the minaret, and we used a mixture of ancient and modern methods in rebuilding the minaret with a new foundation that preserves the architectural heritage identity of the minaret."