Restoration of the historic Tutunji House in Mosul

Built between 1808 and 1817 in the late Ottoman period, the Tutunji House is a remarkable example of a patrician house built around a central courtyard, lavishly decorated with marble bas-reliefs. It is a symbol of Mosul's past as a flourishing center of international trade. Used by Daesh as an explosives factory during the occupation of the city, it was almost completely destroyed between 2014 and 2017. The University of Pennsylvania, in close collaboration with the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH) and the University of Mosul, undertook the restoration of this celebrated house. In addition to structural works, the operators built a stone carving workshop to produce slabs of Mosul marble and support the preservation of this traditional craft. The project employed local residents and generated significant local economic activity. The restored building was inaugurated on 7 March 2024: now Tutunji house will host a museum dedicated to the city as well as concerts organized by the SBAH and the offices of a local youth association.