"Mosul, Iraq" Iraq by fisherbray

Dair Mar Elia - Also known as the St. Elijah's Monestary dating from 595AD. The ruins are located on FOB Marez south of Mosul in northern Iraq. An individual assigned to the chaplain's office was kind enough to give a private tour of the site. The building is in much needed repair and the U.S. military is trying to get international organizations to assist in the preservation of the site before it is destroyed. The Iraqi Rupublican Guard used the site as some sort of command post during the 2003 war. There is blast damage on one side, shrapnel from explosions all over the site, and some of the walls are in danger of collapsing.

Dair Mar Elia

Inside the monestary.

Dair Mar Elia

Inside the monestary.

• Pros:Lots of history
• Cons:Most dangerous place on Earth
• In a nutshell:Currently not worth the trouble; wait till it stabilizes.