South Kurdistan · Bashur · Medieval & Islamic
Lalish
The holiest place of the Yazidis — a sanctuary in a quiet valley, known for its fluted conical spires.
- Period
- 12th century AD and earlier
- Place
- Shekhan, Duhok province
- Region
- South Kurdistan · Bashur
- Age
- Medieval & Islamic
Lalish holds the tomb of Sheikh Adi ibn Musafir, who died here in the 12th century, and is the centre of the Yazidi faith. Its shrines are crowned by tall conical spires with deep vertical ribs, which catch the light and make the sanctuary recognisable from across the valley.
Pilgrims walk barefoot inside the valley as a sign of respect, and the stone courtyards, springs and small buildings form a whole that is both architecture and landscape. It is a living holy place, not a ruin.
Chosen and introduced by Aram Mizuri, architect in Erbil