Google Earth Community: al-Askari shrine

The Al-Askari Shrine, also known as the 'Golden Mosque' had its golden dome destroyed by terrorists today.

Al-Askareyya Shrine embraces the tombs of the 10th and 11th Imams, Ali Al-Hadi who died in 868 AD and his son Hassan Al-Askari who died in 874 AD and was buried next to his father. It is a sort of memorial also to the 12th Imam, about whom a superstition lingers that he will return as the Mahdi to establish peace on earth.

Al-Askareyya Shrine has a golden dome that dazzles the eye. With a circumference of 68 m wide and more than 72,000 golden pieces, it is one of the biggest domes in the Islamic world. Each one of its two golden minarets is 36 m high.

Looking in at the main gate you see a wonderfully light facade of uncluttered white and blue and turquoise patterns, and the dome, golden-scaled, grows out of it like a tree. The minaret is gold all the way up, and there is also a gold-painted clock tower. The courtyard is wide and its white walls are framed with small sea-blue tiles. The whole effect of this mosque is unfussy and fresh. And even outside it there is as yet hardly anything to confuse the eye.

Source: http://www.atlastours.net/iraq/samarra.html

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