Temples and churches in al-Qush district in the Nineveh Plain, beside it is a place of worship and prayer, have become an important tourist attraction Iraq, despite threats of extniction, still remain standing monuments.
Monastery of Monk Hurmiz is one of the most famous monasteries in Iraq, located in the al-Qush subdistrict of Talkef district in the Nineveh plain.
Shukri Yaqub Shekho, a prominent religious figure of al-Qush, visited the site with KirkukNow, said, "This monastery is one of the most famous ones in Iraq and even the Middle East. Its characteristics are different and its history dates back to the seventh century, which is very old.”
“It is known as an important monument that is visited annually by a large number of tourists from Kurdistan, Iraq and even foreign countries, not only Christians but also other religions,” he added.
An important feature of the monastery is its ability to bring together different religions and tourists at the same time.
Al-Qush became a subdistrict in 1918, belonging to the district of Taklef and is rich in historical monuments.
Monastery of Monk Hurmiz is located 3 km southeast of Al-Qush on Mount Al-Qush.
The temple was built by two Assyrian kings and dates back to 640. Other sources say it dates back to the seventh century.
It has been attacked several times by groups and tribes, including the attack of Timurlang in 1393 and the Turkish king Murad Begh in 1508, according to Shukri Yaqub Sheikh.
“It is really an attractive place and we have been waiting for a long time to visit it,” Sahla Saeed, who came to see the monastery from Mosul with her family, told KirkukNow.
Sahla stood on the grave of Monk Hurmiz, put an iron ring around her neck and closed her eyes for three minutes.
