• Address:

    Minaret Park, Erbil, Iraq

  • Client:

    Governorate Erbil, Czech Technical University

  • Description of the work:

    Expert assessment of the condition of the monument

  • Realization:

    2025

The Choli Minaret is an important historical monument of the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. The minaret, built of low-burning bricks and stucco mortar, was erected in the late 12th century, during the period of Atabeg rule. Commissioned by the Ministry of Culture of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), GEMA ART carried out a fundamental survey of the sloping minaret in 2006 and designed the project. Subsequently, under contract with the KRG Ministry of Tourism and Heritage, GEMA ART carried out the project ``Stabilization and Conservation of the Choli Minaret`` in 2008-2009.

Legislative changes in the responsibility for this historical monument led to a certain neglect of the monitoring of this monument. A measurement, carried out by technicians from Salahaddin University in Erbil in January 2025, highlighted the possibility of a risk of the minaret’s rising tilt. Therefore, a geodetic and restoration survey, carried out by a team from the photogrammetry laboratory of the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Czech Technical University and GEMA ART in May 2025, was carried out at the urgent request of the Directorate of Heritage Protection and the Governorate of Erbil.

This geodetic and restoration survey, first of all, refuted the fears of the local authorities about the increase in the inclination of the body of the minaret, and at the same time confirmed, the quality of the work of GEMA ART, that this monument, sixteen years after the completion of the works of the “Stabilization and conservation of the Minaret of Choli” project, is in excellent condition. So, the final report, in addition to information on the current condition of the monument, recommended aftercare, disposal of weeds, cleaning of the drainage system, repair of roof windows and continuous monitoring of the minaret leaning.

For this purpose, the minaret restoration project and the methodology for monitoring the minaret body using photogrammetry were presented at Rizgari Hall, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Salahaddin University. At the same time, during the on-site work, practical training of persons responsible for the future care of the minaret took place.