Imam Husayn Shrine

Imam Husayn Shrine

The Shrine of Hussein ibn Ali (Arabic: مقام الامام الحسين‎) is one of the oldest mosques in the world and a holy site of Islam in the city of Karbala, Iraq. It stands on the site of the grave of Hussein ibn Ali, the second grandson of Muhammad, near the place where he was killed during the Battle of Karbala in 680 C.E.. The tomb of Hussein ibn Ali is one of the holiest places for Shias outside of Mecca and Medina, and many make pilgrimages to the site. Every year, millions of pilgrims visit the city to observe Ashura, which marks the anniversary of Hussein ibn Ali's death.

The Umayyad and Abbasid caliphs prevented construction of the shrines and discouraged pilgrimage to the sites. The tomb and its annexes were destroyed by Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil in 850-851 and Shi'a pilgrimage was prohibited, but shrines in Karbala and Najaf were built by the Buwayhid emir 'Adud al-Daula in 979-80.

Two main roads lead the visitor to Karbala. One is from the Iraqi capital Baghdad, through Al-Musails, and the other is from Najaf. At the city's entrance there is a row of houses decorated with wooden columns.

The boundary wall of the shrine surrounds wooden gates covered with glass decorations. The gates open into a courtyard separated into smaller rooms or precincts with many "Iwans" along the walls. The grave of Husayn ibn Ali is enclosed within a cage-like structure, found directly beneath the golden dome. Al Abbas Mosque is located nearby.