Dair Mar Elia – Mosul, Iraq - Atlas Obscura
What's near me? Random Place Icon Random Place

Dair Mar Elia

Mosul, Iraq

The oldest Christian monastery in Iraq until ISIS blew it up twice and then drove over it with bulldozers. 

View all photos
Saint Elijah's Monastery (Dair Mar Elia), south of Mosul, Iraq, was cared for by the Chaldean Church for centuries, and Christian pilgrims continued to visit the ruins Photo courtesy of James Gordon
Left: Saint Elijah's Monastery (Dair Mar Elia), south of Mosul, Iraq, was cared for by the Chaldean Church for centuries, and Christian pilgrims continued to visit the ruins Photo courtesy of James Gordon
Right: Saint Elijah's Monastery, Mosul, Iraq - the oldest Christian monastery in Iraq Created by Doug, 18 February, 2005 and posted in Wikipedia under a GFDL license
Saint Elijah's Monastery, Mosul, Iraq - the oldest Christian monastery in Iraq Created by Doug, 18 February, 2005 and posted in Wikipedia under a GFDL license
17
39
Top Places in Iraq
Saddam Hussein's new construction on the ruins of Babylon.
Babylon
Hillah, Iraq
Baghdad Battery in the National Museum of Iraq
Baghdad, Iraq
Great Mosque of Samarra
Samarra, Iraq
 See All
This entry is a stub
Help improve Atlas Obscura by expanding Dair Mar Elia with additional information or photos.
Sorry, Dair Mar Elia is permanently closed.

The oldest Christian monastery in Iraq, Dair Mar Elia, or Saint Elijah’s Monastery in English, was built in the 6th century.  The monastery was located in a fenced off area in FOB Marez and protected by the US Army Chaplin Corp, but is now under the control of ISIS.

Update: As of late 2014, this site no longer exists.  ISIS set off both surface and sub-surface bombs to destroy this historic site, then leveled the entire location with bulldozers. 

Know Before You Go

The monastery was located just south of Mosul.

christianity
Nearby
Mar Behnam Monastery
18.70 miles
Aqueduct of Jerwan
29.87 miles
Rabban Hormizd Monastery
31.56 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Iraq

Mar Behnam Monastery

The history of Mar Behnam Monastery is that of violence, intolerance, resiliency, and spirituality.
Al-Shikhan, Iraq

Aqueduct of Jerwan

The surviving pieces of an ancient aqueduct that may have fed into the lost Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
Alqosh, Iraq

Rabban Hormizd Monastery

An ancient sanctuary that has long been a holy site for the Chaldean Christian Church.
Al-Shikhan, Iraq

Lalish Temple

The sacred shrine of the Yazidis.
Related Places
Geneva, Switzerland

John Calvin's Chair

A plain wooden seat that once belonged to one of the most prominent figures of the Protestant Reformation.
Honolulu, Hawaii

Ka Hale La’au

Hawai'i's oldest wooden house was shipped around Cape Horn from Boston in 1820.
Sandhead, Scotland

Kirkmadrine Stones

Dating back to the 500s, these stones include some of the oldest Christian memorials in Scotland.
Ano Syros, Greece

Catholic Church of Agios Georgios

On top of a hill, this Catholic church overlooks the most Catholic island in Greece.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
From Around the Web