Tigris city of Abbasid monuments, dominated by Samarra's spiralling Malwiya Minaret and mosque ruins.
Samarra is a city on the Tigris about 125 km north of Baghdad. For most of the 9th century it served as the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, and from that period survive some extraordinary monuments.
The most famous is the Malwiya Minaret — a spiral tower of brick that corkscrews 52 metres into the sky beside the ruins of the Great Mosque of Samarra. When it was built in 848 AD, the mosque was the largest in the world. The minaret is unique in Islamic architecture: a helix climbing a square base, wide enough that a rider could ascend on horseback. You can still climb to the top, which rewards you with a view across the Tigris and the flat surrounding plain that makes the isolation of the ancient capital suddenly comprehensible. It is one of the most striking structures in Iraq and not to be missed.
The Abu Dulaf Mosque, about ten kilometres to the north, has a smaller but similarly spiralling minaret and sees far fewer visitors.
Samarra is also one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam. The Al-Askari Shrine contains the tombs of the 10th and 11th Imams. Its golden dome was destroyed by a bomb in 2006, an act that triggered widespread sectarian violence across Iraq, but it has since been rebuilt. The shrine draws large numbers of pilgrims.
Samarra is a day trip from Baghdad. The security situation has improved considerably since the worst years of the insurgency, but it is worth checking current conditions before you go.
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Getting There
Samarra is about 125 km north of Baghdad on the main road to Tikrit and Mosul. By car the journey takes around two hours from central Baghdad, depending on traffic and road conditions. Shared taxis and minibuses from Baghdad's Al-Shawaka bus station cover the route regularly, and this is the most common way for independent travellers to arrive.
There is no commercial air service to Samarra. The nearest airports are Baghdad International, about 140 km to the south, and Tikrit (Saddam International, now operated by the Iraqi Air Force), which is not open for civilian use.
Security conditions on the road have improved considerably since the worst years of the insurgency, but it is worth checking current conditions with recent travellers or your country's foreign ministry before making the journey. The drive passes through Taji and through areas that were contested as recently as 2014–2017 during the conflict with ISIL.
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When to Go
Samarra has a hot desert climate. Summers are fierce — temperatures regularly exceed 45°C from June through August, and the monuments at the Great Mosque sit fully exposed with no shade. Spring (March to May) and autumn (October to November) are the most comfortable times to visit, with daytime temperatures in the range of 20–30°C and cool evenings.
The Al-Askari Shrine sees its largest crowds during Shia religious occasions, particularly the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (Ashura, which falls in the Islamic month of Muharram) and the anniversaries of the deaths of the 10th and 11th Imams commemorated at the shrine. If you plan to visit the shrine during these periods, expect very large crowds and heightened security.
Winter visits are possible and the temperatures are pleasant, but occasional cold fronts from the north can bring rain and wind.