Restoration and renewal works on the Golden Iwan began in 1440 AH (corresponding to 2018) and were carried out in three principal phases covering the northern, southern, and central sections. This architectural masterpiece, implemented under the supervision of the Imam Ali Holy Shrine and through the collaboration of distinguished Iranian and Iraqi master craftsmen, will be officially unveiled tomorrow in a formal ceremony attended by pilgrims and officials of the Holy Shrine.
The Golden Iwan, whose original structure dates back to the Safavid era and was commissioned by Shah Abbas under the direct supervision of Shaikh Bahai, the renowned scholar and architect of the time, suffered severe damage during the former Iraqi regime. Following the collapse of the Bathist regime, the Imam Ali Holy Shrine initiated restoration of the damaged sections and displaced inscriptions in 1423 AH. With the directive of the supreme religious authority in Najaf and the continued follow up of the Shrine s administration under Sayed Isa al-Khirsan, the project entered a comprehensive and historically faithful phase in 2018.
It is noteworthy that the gilding of the Najaf Iwan was first carried out during the reign of Nader Shah Afshar. In the recent restoration, the same original gold collected from the worn components, together with reserves preserved in the treasuries of the Holy Shrine, was reused in the renewed decoration of the Iwan. Due to the technical complexity of the gilding, enameling, and structural reinforcement processes, the project required extensive time and exceptional precision, ultimately reaching completion through the sustained support of the Imam Ali Holy Shrine and the efforts of international experts and specialists.
After seven years of tireless and meticulous work by restorers and devoted servants of the Shrine, the covering that had long concealed the entrance to the Golden Iwan will finally be removed, allowing pilgrims and lovers of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) to witness the unveiling of this resplendent structure.
The official unveiling ceremony will take place tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. on the 1st of January, in the presence of the Custodian of the Imam Ali Holy Shrine and a number of senior officials, within the Holy Shrine precincts.
