Abbasid Palace built by Caliph Abu al-`Abbas an-Nasir li-Din Allah (1158-1225) is located on the eastern bank of the Tigris River of Baghdad, capital of the Abbasid Caliphate at the time. Built on the 12th century, The Abbassid Palace is the oldest building of Baghdad still standing. Initially intended to be a madrassa on orders from the Caliph An-Nasir, it is the reason for the creation of the Mustansiriya Madrassah located nearby. Entirely made of brick, the two-story monument’s architecture is representative of the special style characteristic of the Abbasid period in the Islamic architecture. The building is adorned with arcades and muqarnas, one of the facades is adorned by a large iwan in the Seljuk style with brick carved in arabesques. Its main door has special features. The decoration and the writing on its facade were painted by skilled sculptors.
The entrance to the palace and the alcove lead to a large courtyard. The inner courtyard is bordered by a vaulted gallery of muqarnas surrounded by small chambers which were used by the students of the madrasa.
This illustrious monument retains the traces of what was one of the most influential cities in the Arab-Muslim world.
