Samarra - Pasar Sate & Wine

Samarra – Pasar Sate & Wine celebrates the glorious era of the beautiful ancient city of Samarra, by the River of Tigris, approximately 125kms from Baghdad.

In 833 AD, Caliph Al-Mu'tasim built a beautiful palace known as Jawsaq Al-Khaqani, occupying an area of 160 hectares. Three years after, the capital of Abbasid Caliphate was moved from Baghdad to the new city of Samarra by the Caliph. In 848, the capital of Samarra had a population of 300,000 inhabitants, whereas Paris at that time only had 30,000 as a comparison.

In 847, Caliph Al-Mutawakkil built the Great Mosque of Samarra with its 55-meter high spiral minaret or malwiyah. The mosque was inspired by spiral buildings of the Babylonian times (Babylonian Ziggurats). This Caliph also laid out parks and a beautiful palace known as Balkuwara, on the right bank of the Tigris River. This palace, although smaller than Caliph Al-Mu’tasim’s palace, is also as dramatic, occupying an area of 36 hectares, and surrounded by a wall 2.5 kilometers long.

The two palaces of Samarra during this 9th century are lavishly appointed with camel barns, underground caves to store piles of treasures, arms, as well as plush banquet halls and living quarters.

A smaller palace, Qasr Al-Banat, was also built, known as the Palace of Daughters, guarded and served by women only.

Samara remained as the Abbasid capital until 892, when it was returned to Baghdad. In the following centuries, Samarra entered a prolonged decline, which accelerated after the 13th century when the course of the Tigris shifted.

The architecture of Samarra was influenced by the Iranian and Syrian style, with in-house courtyards and ponds commonly found. In line with the mission to The Tugu Hotels Group created Samarra – Pasar Sate & Wine in Jalan Kebon Sirih, Central Jakarta, to bring back to life the beauty and glory of the ancient city of Samarra during the times of Mesopotamia, Babylon, Syriana, and Persia.