Joey Michilli

Known as the Malwiya or the snail shell Minaret, this 180 foot tower was the main focal point of the mosque, that covered 42 acres at its peak. In the mid-9th century, the great work was commissioned by the Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil who allegedly rode a white donkey up the spiraling paths to the top.

Over time, the mosque was slowly destroyed and fell  by the 11th century. However, its memory was always preserved in the Malwiya Minaret that towered over Samarra. The pillar was given something of a new life during the war in Iraq, as US troops used it for observation. Sadly, in 2005, the famous Minaret was partially destroyed during a bombing raid by insurgents. After 1000 years of proudly standing in the medieval Abbasid capital, it finally began to crumble under the firepower of modern weaponry.

Conflicting stories exist as to why the tower was attacked. Some claim the attack was directed against US forces, while others such as Tony Blair assert that the bombing was carried out to instigate secular warfare. If the latter is true, the lifespan of the Minaret could be dramatically shortened given the uncertain and unstable political situation in Iraq.

The mosque has a rectangular layout encompassed by an outer baked brick wall 10 meters high and 2.65 meters thick and supported by a total of 44 semi-circular towers including four corner ones. One could enter the mosque through one of the 16 gates. It has been told that featured over each entrance were several small arched windows. Between each tower, a frieze of sunken square niches with beveled frames runs the upper course of the entire structure. The mosque had 17 aisles, and its walls were paneled with mosaics of dark blue glass. The courtyard was surrounded on all sides by an arcade, the greatest part of which was the one facing Holy Mecca.

Sources-(http://socks-studio.com/2014/02/11/the-field-and-the-wall-the-great-mosque-of-samarra/)