The Courtyard of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her) stands as one of the largest development projects undertaken within the holy shrines.
Covering an area of 60,000 square meters, the Courtyard of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her) is regarded as one of the most significant expansion projects of the holy shrines in Iraq and across the Islamic world, distinguished by its vast structural scale and the diversity of its devotional and service-oriented facilities.
The project was designed in accordance with a modern engineering vision that takes into account the high capacity required to accommodate pilgrims while remaining fully harmonious with the sanctity of the site and the demands of mass pilgrimages attended by millions of visitors.
Statistical Overview of the Project
Dr. Ali Naji, Advisor to the Custodian of the Imam Ali Holy Shrine, stated in an interview with the Shrine’s News Center:
“The courtyard consists of four main levels, designed to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims and to organize visitor movement and service delivery.
The first level, with a height of 12 meters, is aligned with the level of the old Holy Shrine and the historic Alawi sanctuary.
The second level has a height of 6 meters, while the third level is also aligned with the level of the old Holy Shrine. In addition, two underground levels have been allocated for pilgrim accommodation and service provision during million-visitor occasions.”
Devotional and Service Facilities
He added:
“The sacred courtyard comprises a comprehensive range of facilities, most notably expansive spaces dedicated to worship and visitation; a comprehensive museum, considered among the most important museums of the holy shrines due to its collection of precious artifacts and rare historical objects; the Central Library building serving researchers and students of religious sciences; administrative buildings for courtyard management and service coordination; as well as various pilgrim service facilities, including guest accommodation and other organizational and support spaces.”
An Advanced Engineering Vision
The inauguration of the Courtyard of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her) represents a major milestone in the architectural expansion projects of the holy shrines. It reflects the Imam Ali Holy Shrine’s commitment to providing the highest level of services to pilgrims within a framework that integrates Islamic identity, civilizational depth, and advanced engineering planning.
The Courtyard of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her) in Numbers
First: Project Scale and Construction
Total area: 60,000 square meters
Workforce: Tens of thousands of personnel
Concrete used: 249,000 cubic meters
Reinforcing steel: 28,000 tons
Excavation and landfilling: More than 800,000 cubic meters
Bricks used: Over 10.5 million units
Second: Architectural Finishes and Materials
Marble and granite flooring: 217,000 square meters
Marble columns: 1,095 columns
Tilework (Islamic art): 11,000 square meters
Mirrorwork decoration: 70,000 square meters
Doors and windows: 778 units
Third: Spaces and Facilities
Central Library: More than 250,000 volumes
Guest accommodation: Capacity to host up to 20,000 pilgrims simultaneously
Fourth: Sanitary Services
Sanitary units: 920 units
Bathrooms and wash facilities: 326 units
Fifth: Mobility and Service Systems
Elevators and escalators: 90 units
Electrical cabling length: 525 kilometers
Water storage capacity: 80,000 liters
Sixth: Cooling and Ventilation
Large cooling units: 20 units
Air handling units: 66 units
A modern central cooling system covering the entire courtyard
