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Shrine · Samarra

Shrine of al-Askariyyayn

Imam Ali al-Hadi (as) and Imam Hasan al-Askari (as), the tenth and eleventh Imams

The shrine in Samarra where Imam Ali al-Hadi (as) and his son Imam Hasan al-Askari (as) are buried, in what was their home. Narjis, mother of Imam al-Mahdi (ajtf), and Hakima, daughter of Imam al-Jawad (as), are also buried here. The dome was destroyed in bombings in 2006 and 2007 and has since been rebuilt.

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A large golden dome and two minarets above the shrine walls, with visitors crossing a marble courtyard under a cloudy sky
The golden dome of the al-Askariyyayn shrine in Samarra.

Visitor guide

Significance

Historical record

Imam Ali al-Hadi (as) lived in Samarra for about 20 years and was buried in his house. Imam Hasan al-Askari (as) was buried in the same house, and the twelfth Imam was born in Samarra. [WikiShia] [WikiShia]

Historical record

Narjis, mother of Imam al-Mahdi (ajtf), Hakima, daughter of Imam al-Jawad (as), and Samana, mother of Imam al-Hadi (as), are also buried in the shrine. Samarra is often described as the fourth city of pilgrimage in Iraq, after Najaf, Karbala and Kadhimiya. [WikiShia] [WikiShia]

Before you go

Historical record

The dome and minarets were destroyed in bombings in 2006 and 2007 and have since been rebuilt. Today’s courtyard joins the earlier courtyards of al-Imamayn, al-Musalla and al-Ghayba. [WikiShia]

Arrival

Security checks operate around the shrines. Follow the instructions of shrine staff and security personnel and any posted signs, use the designated entrances and allow extra time during busy periods.

Accessible routes and facilities can vary by entrance and by crowd arrangements on the day. Ask shrine staff for assistance on arrival.

Directions

Practical

Samarra is on the east bank of the Tigris in Salah al-Din province, between Baghdad and Tikrit. [WikiShia]

Photographs

  • The golden dome seen across a marble courtyard with shade umbrellas, in evening light
    The courtyard in the evening.
  • Visitors gathered in front of an ornate gilded enclosure beneath a large chandelier
    Visitors inside the shrine.
  • A mirrored hall with tiled panels and a red carpet runner, with visitors walking through
    One of the halls inside the shrine.
  • A shaded walkway lined with umbrellas and a long red carpet runner
    A shaded walkway in the outer courtyard.

Visit nearby

  • Historic site · Samarra

    Sardab of Imam al-Mahdi (ajtf)

    A lower chamber in the house of the Imams in Samarra, beside the al-Askariyyayn shrine, which Twelver Shia tradition associates with Imam al-Mahdi (ajtf) and his occultation (ghayba). It is a place of prayer, not a grave.

    Summary only, full guide coming
  • The illuminated shrine façade at night, with a tiled golden entrance arch between two tall gold minarets

    Shrine · Baghdad (Kadhimiya)

    Shrine of al-Kadhimayn

    The shrine in Kadhimiya, in the north of Baghdad, where Imam Musa al-Kadhim (as) and his grandson Imam Muhammad al-Jawad (as) are buried. Al-Shaykh al-Mufid and Nasir al-Din al-Tusi are among the scholars also buried here.

    Summary only, full guide coming

Sources

Written by A humble human

Sources referred to

  1. WikiShia, “Shrine of al-ʿAskariyyayn”, en.wikishia.net, accessed 14 October 2026. Draws on Dhabih Allah Mahallati, Maʾāthir al-kubarāʾ fī tārīkh Sāmarrāʾ.

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