Mosul’s Heritage Restored: The Story of Al-Tahera Church

Abstract

The restoration of Al-Tahera Syriac Catholic Church in Mosul, Iraq, represents one of the most significant post-conflict heritage recovery efforts worldwide. Hit by airstrikes in 2017, after being used as a court of law during the ISIS occupation, the church was largely destroyed. As the cathedral of Mosul’s Syriac Catholic Christians, Al-Tahera has long been a testament to the city’s religious diversity and centuries of coexistence. Commissioned in 2018 by UNESCO within the “Revive the Spirit of Mosul” initiative and supported by the United Arab Emirates, the project sought not only to rebuild a monument but also to foster reconciliation and social cohesion. Built in 1859, the church stands in Mosul’s historic quarter, near three other churches and two mosques, across the Tigris from the ancient city of Nineveh.