Reconstruction of the Yazidi Mam Rashan Shrine

Mount Sinjar, Iraq

Amount $ 263 910

Years 2020 - 2021

Operator World Monuments Fund in cooperation with the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH)

project status Completed

Type of grant Call for projects

(c) WMF

The Mam Rashan Yazidi Shrine on Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq likely dates from the 12th century and honors a Xua'dan saint (or "righteous person"), a saint associated with agriculture, rain, and the annual harvest.

The shrine is an important example of Yazidi religious architecture, with a tall, conical dome rising from a circular drum over a square, windowless chamber. The building was destroyed by Daesh in 2014, as a part of their genocidal campaign against the Yazidi community. Only a quarter of the Yazidi population returned to Sinjar after the liberation, but the shrine is a testament to their long presence in the region.

The restoration of the shrine and rehabilitation of the surrounding garden are have been completed. All activities were carried out in close cooperation with the Yazidi community.