Rehabilitation of Tutunji House

Tutunji House, built between 1808 and 1817, is an exceptional example of a late-Ottoman central courtyard house sumptuously decorated with marble bas-reliefs, a symbol of the city's past as a flourishing center of international trade. Since 1981, the house has belonged to the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH) and was newly renovated just prior to when Daesh took over Mosul in 2014. The building was used by Daesh as an explosive factory and suffered significant damage during the conflict. It was nearly destroyed before the liberation of the city in 2017.

The University of Pennsylvania is working closely with the SBAH and Mosul University to rehabilitate this emblematic house. Following complicated mine clearance operations carried out by the Iraqi army, conservation works started in 2020. In addition to structural work, the project established a stone carving workshop to produce the unique Mosul marble relief tiles and support the preservation of this unique craft. The project employs Mosul residents, and it has generated significant economic activities for many local people.