Palace Qasr al ‘Ashiq in Samarra
Al-Ashiq Palace is located on the western side of the city of Samarra in Iraq, about 9 km from the Minaret of Al-Malwiya. It was built by the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mu’tamid Billah (ruled 870-892AD).
The palace consists of two floors, rectangular in shape, located in a high place, with an area of 12,500 square meters. It is one of the most prominent palaces in the city of Samarra.
Al-Ashiq Palace is distinguished by its ingenuity of engineering and the accuracy of its construction. It is one of the outstanding examples of the Abbasid architectural style surviving.
Some historians consider this building to be a military fortress, because of its design, as it is surrounded by sturdy defensive towers as if it were a castle.