Rabban Hormizd Monastery, Cave monastery in Alqosh, Iraq

Rabban Hormizd Monastery is a stone monastery built into a rocky hillside about 2 miles from Alqosh. Its upper tan stone building has a flat roofline, small dark windows and a large arched recess; below is a lower building with an arched doorway. A massive rough-stone retaining wall with a rounded top rises in front, and a flat-roofed building with a row of small windows stands to the right.

The monastery was established around 640 and became an important seat of religious authority over the centuries. From the 16th century through the 18th century, it served as the residence for major church leaders of the region.

Christians of the Nineveh Plain celebrate the memory of Mar Hormizd on the second Sunday after Easter. The feast, called shara in Syriac, meaning "vigil", involves a pilgrimage to the monastery and prayers, while young people dance dabke to traditional songs.

The site is located in a mountainous area and requires good physical fitness to explore thoroughly. Visitors should prepare for uneven terrain and tight passages within the carved caves.

In 1868 Ismael Pasha seized 147 volumes, manuscripts and printed books, repeating the looting Moussa Pasha had carried out in 1828. The monks responded by buying and copying manuscripts, rebuilding a library that became rich in Syriac texts.