Hawzah News Agency- According to officials from the shrine’s Development Projects Department, the new courtyard—named the Courtyard of the Great Prophet (PBUH)—constitutes the third phase of the grand expansion plan of the Imam Hussein shrine. The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
Head of the department, Engineer Hussein Reza Mahdi, stated that the total built-up area of the Courtyard of the Great Prophet will reach approximately 330,000 square meters, while the total land area allocated for the project stands at 100,000 square meters. He emphasized that the scale of the development makes it one of the most significant architectural undertakings in the shrine’s history.
“The project has been designed within a comprehensive engineering master plan aimed at upgrading infrastructure and expanding spaces dedicated to serving pilgrims,” Mahdi said. He added that the new courtyard will be located northwest of the existing sacred precinct, ensuring seamless integration with the current structure while significantly increasing capacity.
The expansion comes amid a steady rise in the number of pilgrims visiting the shrine of Imam Hussein in Karbala, particularly during major religious occasions such as Arbaeen, when millions of devotees gather to commemorate the martyrdom of the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Officials say the project is not merely an architectural extension but part of a broader vision to enhance service facilities, religious amenities, and social support infrastructure for visitors. Once completed, the courtyard is expected to substantially ease congestion and improve crowd management during peak pilgrimage seasons.
The Imam Hussein (PBUH) shrine expansion project is being implemented under the supervision of the Holy Shrine, which has in recent years overseen multiple large-scale development initiatives aimed at accommodating the growing influx of pilgrims from across Iraq and around the world.
The launch of this third phase marks a new chapter in the ongoing modernization and expansion of one of the most revered sites in the Muslim world.
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