The burial site is located near the holy city of Najaf in Iraq and continues to grow every year. People buy land and build houses around the city so that they will be guaranteed a burial place near the Imam-Ali Mosque – one of the most important shrines of Shia Islam.
According to Al Jazeera, a large part of the desert landscape that stretches to the border with Saudi Arabia is predicted to become one large burial ground in the future.
Many important religious, political and social profiles within Shia Islam are buried at Wadi al-Salam.
Hear why people started burying their loved ones in Najaf in the clip.