Al-Mustansiriya’s Courtyard

The story behind the place

Al-Mustansiriya was founded in the thirteenth century as a major centre of learning in Baghdad. A United Nations visit in 2017 highlighted the building as evidence of the city’s enduring cultural life. In the courtyard, a large pointed iwan rises between smaller arched openings, with patterned brickwork lending texture to the walls. The architecture turns a shared open space into the heart of a scholarly building.

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