Shafaq News- Najaf
The town of Al-Mishkhab in Najaf province, central Iraq,retains a notable architectural and historical legacy, reflected in themansions of the Sayyid Noor family, which date back to the late 19th and early20th centuries.
Ahmad Abdul Zaid, 52, a resident of the Tabar area, toldShafaq News that these homes were “like a paradise” in his childhood, notingthey were well-maintained and “reflected the status of their owners, who wereamong the largest landowners in the region.”
The number of these houses ranged between 30 and 35, spreadacross wide areas and surrounded by agricultural lands owned by the families,he indicated, adding that many families later moved to other cities such asBaghdad, Hilla, and Al-Diwaniyah, or left Iraq.
According to Islamic history researcher Adnan KarimBarshawi, among the most prominent is the Sayyid Noor Al-Yasiri Palace,believed to date back to around 1890, along with mansions built by his sons inthe 1940s and others such as the palace of Hajj Abdul Wahid Al-Hajjar.
Barshawi explained that the architectural style of thesemansions reflects Indian and Ottoman influences, particularly in window designsand decorative elements, as well as the large surrounding lands, many of whichremain owned by the same families and are managed through representativesoverseeing the estates and revenues.
Additionally, he said, these mansions played a key roleduring the 1920 Revolution, serving as venues for meetings among local leadersand as centers for political discussions that contributed to shaping modernIraqi history.