Lights have returned to The Church of The Dominican Convent (Our Lady of the Hour) in Mosul
In close coordination with local authorities, UNESCO have initiated the first phase of activities by installing security cameras on site and improving the fences around the area of work. The next step is to clear the rubble and UXOs from the complex as well as securing the project site for reconstruction.
This Project’s component will include all the phases of a stabilization/rehabilitation project (from site clearance and initial survey to the preparation of the detailed design for the actual execution of the works), which will create a unique ‘on the-job training’ opportunity for local heritage professionals and craftsmen. In fact, the actual implementation of this component will be closely integrated with the long-term capacity building program foreseen within the scope of the Project.
The Church of The Dominican Convent (Our Lady of the Hour) lies at the heart of the Old City of Mosul, at the junction of the two main streets that cut through the historic urban fabric. Built at the end of the XIX century, it has always been considered as one of the iconic landmarks of the Old City of Mosul.
Its architectural and heritage value is important as well. Each viewer coming from Nineveh or Al-Farouq Street would see the Al-Hadba Minaret first then the bell tower of the Conventual Church of Our Lady of the Hour, or vice-versa. This architectural and urban feature is engraved in the memory and history of the people and of the city and is emblematic of the cultural diversity and peaceful co-existence between its communities.
In October 2019, the stabilization and rehabilitation of the Conventual Church of Our Lady of the Hour was included as one of the main outputs in the UAE funded UNESCO Project ‘Reviving the Spirit of Mosul by rebuilding its historic landmarks’, along with the Al-Tahera Syriac Catholic Church and the Al-Nouri Mosque complex.