Dair Mar Elia, Christian monastery ruins in Nineveh Governorate, Iraq

Dair Mar Elia was a fortress-like monastery complex south of Mosul, in Nineveh Governorate, Iraq, covering about 2,500 square metres (27,000 square feet). It held 26 rooms built around a courtyard, among them a chapel and a sanctuary. Its ruins, thick walls of rough grey-beige stone with small square openings, were destroyed by the Islamic State in 2014.

The monastery was founded in 595 by Mar Elia and served for centuries as a spiritual center for Christians in the surrounding area. In 1743, around 150 monks were killed when they refused to convert to Islam, and in 2014 ISIS destroyed the complex completely.

Local Christians used to visit the site on set days to pray together and keep their traditions alive until 2014. The last Wednesday of November drew the largest crowds, when believers came to mark one of their most important feast days.

The monastery stood on the right bank of the Tigris, south of Mosul, inside what was the Ghazlani military camp; the ruins no longer exist, so there is nothing left to tour. The site lies within a restricted military area, and access requires clearance from Iraqi authorities. Check current security conditions in Nineveh Governorate before travelling toward the location.

In 1743, the community faced a choice between conversion and death when Persian ruler Tahmaz Nadir Shah demanded they abandon their faith. All 150 monks chose not to convert and were executed.