BASH
TAPIA CASTLE
![](castle.jpg)
Bash
Tapia Castle
![](Bashtabia.jpg)
Ruins
of Bash Tapia Castle in 2014
Coordinates
:
36°21'19.4
N 43°7'17.7 E
Type
: Castle
Site
information
:
Condition
: Ruins
Site
history :
Built
: 12th
century
Materials
: Stone
and stucco
Fate
:
Partially destroyed, 2015
Battles/wars
:
Ottoman–Persian War (1743–46)
Bash
Tapia Castle, also known as Bashtabiya Castle or Pashtabia Castle,
is a ruined 12th-century castle located on the western bank of the
Tigris river, forming part of the city wall of Mosul, Iraq. It was
partially destroyed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
(ISIL) in April 2015.
History
:
Bash Tapia Castle was built in the 12th century as one of seven
castles within Mosul's city wall. The castle was damaged by Timur
in 1393, and was later rebuilt by the Ottoman Empire.
Bash
Tapia Castle played an important role in the siege of Mosul during
the Ottoman–Persian War of 1743–46. The siege began
on 14 September 1743 when the Shah of Persia, Nadir Shah, arrived
in city. The Pasha of Mosul, Hajji Hossein Al Jalili, successfully
defended the city, and the siege was lifted on 23 October of the
same year.
The
ruins of the castle were an archaeological site, and were also significant
as being one of the few surviving parts of Mosul's walls. The castle
was a landmark and a symbol of Mosul's identity, and it was popular
with tourists from other parts of Iraq and neighbouring countries.
It became neglected after the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Destruction
:
The city of Mosul was captured by the Islamic State of Iraq and
the Levant on 10 June 2014, and Bash Tapia Castle was damaged in
the subsequent fighting. A missile fell near the castle on 10 July
and damaged its walls, while a drone fired two shells on it on 23
July.
According
to reports by the Iraqi Ministry of Tourism, the castle was blown
up by ISIL in April 2015, making it one of many heritage sites destroyed
by that group. Photos released by ISIL in 2016 show that parts of
the castle remain intact. The remains of the castle was recaptured
by the Iraqi Army in June 2017.
Source
:
https://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Bash_Tapia_Castle