Iraq- Baghdad’s Shanasheel -A Distinguished Architectural Element- Is Fading Away

Shanasheel, best known for Mashrbiya, is a distinguished Islamic architectural element in ancient houses in Baghdad. Turkish and Jewish artisans from Baghdad mastered the profession of designing and crafting oriel windows with intricate wooden latticework. Places such as Abbas Affandi, Al Rasheed Street, Al Jumhouriyeh St, and Hanoun souk used to embrace hundreds of Shanasheel balconies and windows. However, with time, negligence, and lack of specialized artisans those heavily ornamented Shanasheel waned and dwindled. It is worth mentioning that some of which have lost their historical and heritage appea; after they were sloppily repaired by unskilled artisans