Landmark 05 / 10
The Malwiya of Samarra
Engineering story
The ascending spiral
Why it matters
A traditional minaret climbs by an inner stair; the Malwiya climbs outside, by a spiral path around a solid cylindrical core that is steadier, spreading the weight of climbers over its perimeter. It looks different from every angle. It is the ancestor of the spiralling copper tower on the museum’s façade.
In the documentary series18. Abbasid PeriodBaghdad and Samarra, capitals of the world