The Baban dynasty (16th–19th centuries), Kurdish princes whose capital was Silemanî from 1784, left a lasting legacy. Among their most prominent monuments are the Baban family mausoleum tombs, located within the Great Mosque of Silêmanî (Mizgewtî Gewre), built by Ibrahim Pasha Baban. In 1784–85, Ibrahim Pasha founded Silemanî and commissioned its Great Mosque. Designed in Islamic style, it features two domes, two minarets, and an attached mausoleum to honor prominent Baban leaders. These tombs include the burial places of Haji Kaka Ahmad, noted for his charitable foundations, and Mahmud Barzanji, a Kurdish nationalist leader. These resting places underscore the dynasty’s blend of spiritual commitment and political leadership. Baban’s mausoleum continues Kurdish craftsmanship traditions, integrating mosque and dynastic tombs - a signature of Kurdish princely construction during Ottoman era.
Posted by Zagrosian · 18 June 2025
