Kurdistan Region PM lays foundation for Barzani Mosque in Erbil

ERBIL, Iraq — Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Monday laid the foundation for the Barzani Mosque in Erbil, launching a project developed over roughly three years of planning. The mosque will be built on a site covering more than 2 million square meters and is named after the late Kurdish leader Mullah Mustafa Barzani, with its design inspired by the traditional Kurdish tent. Project architect Goran Reshad Mala Fetah said the structure is intended to set several world records, including the largest concrete dome and, for its category, the tallest and heaviest historical gate. The complex will also feature a 600-meter-long artificial waterfall rising 48 meters, according to the architect. Beyond prayer areas, the project includes a scientific center for students of sharia sciences and plans for annual social services for low-income groups. Officials have described the Barzani Mosque as among the most extensive new religious developments in the Kurdistan Region.