The Shrine of Imam Husayn located in Karbala, Southern Iraq, was built near the site where the Imam, grandson of Mohammed, was martyred during the battle of Karbala and made a martyr. It is this battle that consolidated the position of the Shia who then decided to break away from the Sunni majority. It is the most important holy sites in Iraq to celebrate Ashura, which marks the death of the Imam.
The shrine, built over the tomb of Imam Husayn who had himself purchased the land the battle happened on, was built in 684, four years after the Imam was buried here.
The shrine is well known for its court and the multiple doorways leading to it. In its middle is found the tomb of Imam Husayn.
The latest renovations to the shrine were made in 2012, when a roof was added over the court of the shrine to protect pilgrims from the rain. In 2019, the shrine was struck by disaster as a stampede, allegedly caused by a walkway collapsing, led to the death of 31 pilgrims.
The Holy Shrine of Imam Ali Amir Al Muminin, Najaf, Iraq
