15 BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN IRAQ

Best Places to Visit in Iraq

Iraq is not exactly a tourist spot. Muslims go there for pilgrimage reasons but other than that, travelers stay away from the country. Let’s just say it as it is – people are afraid to go there because of misconceptions in the news – about how dangerous it is and how violent the streets of Iraq can be for foreigners. The truth is that it’s mostly bad publicity but if you do feel adventurous, then give it a try and be sure to use our Iraq travel guide as a starter.

1. National Museum of Iraq

National Museum of Iraq is the most famous landmark in all of Iraq. Baghdad Museum or Iraq Museum is home to ancient and significant relics from Mesopotamia. It has been robbed several times due to the Iraqi wars but at least some of the stolen artifacts have been returned thanks to the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and UNESCO. Due to this, the museum was not formally launched until February 2015 with 6,000 items on display as opposed to the original 15,000 artifacts. It is one of the best places to visit in Iraq.

2. Ziggurat of Ur

UNESCO included the Ziggurat of Ur in The Ahwar of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities. It is the second-most visited attraction in the country as it is very old – it is in Dhi Qar which used to be Mesopotamia. It has been said that the Great Ziggurat was established more than 4,000 years ago. It was built by King Ur-Nammu during the 3rd Ur Dynasty and it has been continually repaired over the centuries just to preserve its historic value.

3. Al-Shaheed Monument

The Al-Shaheed Monument in Baghdad is a reminder of the Iran-Iraq War. It was designed by Ismail Fatah Al Turk and Saman Kamal and it was founded in 1983. They also call it the Martyr’s Memorial since the whole structure was devoted to the Iraqi soldier that died during the conflict.

The memorial monument is the masterpiece of the artificial lake around it and once a year, every December 1st, people of Iraq remember the fallen by wearing a badge with the Al-Shaheed on it and a red rose at the middle. Words of Saddam Hussein were inscribed – “The Martyrs are better than all of us.”

4. Baghdadi Museum

The Baghdadi Museum is a history museum which displays the history of Iraq through life sized and human looking dolls. The place demonstrates 70 sections all in all where you will see the way of life in Iran – folk villages, trading activities, people with different lines of work, old traditions, and street living. This structure is near River Tigris which is a natural attraction in Iraq.

The museum had to be renovated and was opened again for public viewing in 2008 because it was gravely destroyed during the 2003 war. One of the places to visit in Iraq is this historic museum.

5. Baghdad Zoo

The Baghdad Zoo is a very popular tourist attraction in the country. It was even more famous back then, before the Iraqi war erupted. There were at least 650 animals in the zoo. They also suffered in the war and just 5% of the animals remained at the end.

But enough with the sad stories – the Baghdad Zoo, also known as Al-Zawraa Zoo, was renewed in 2003 and it now has 1,070 animals. Its most famous residents are Hope and Riley, Bengali tigers which were gifts from the US.

6. Hatra

Another place in Iraq that locals and foreigners frequent to is the Old City of Hatra. UNESCO inscribed it as Hatra in 1985 with level ii, ii, iv and vi. The ancient city is located at Al Jazira. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant showed a video in 2015 and they were destroying of what remained in Hatra because they believed that it was not an Islamic structure. UNESCO AND ISESCO referred to their action as vicious and contemptuous of Arabic culture and heritage.

7. Great Mosque of Samarra

The Great Mosque of Samarra was once the largest mosque in the whole world. There’s a mosque at the base of the structure with a spiral cone going up the minaret or tower and it is a sight to see. One of the places to visit in Iraq is this great mosque because the structure in itself is a work of art. It must be marveled upon. UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site in 2007. Actually, UNESCO included the whole site where the mosque is located and they inscribed it as Samarra Archaeological City.

8. Imam Hussain Shrine

The Shrine of Imam Hussain ibn Ali or the Imam Hussain Shrine is in Karbala. Hussain Ibn Ali is the son of Ali ibn Abi Talib so naturally, Hussain is the grandson of Prophet Muhammad. He is a Shia Islam believer and was the third Imam of Shia. The shrine symbolizes his final resting place and it is one of the most visited attractions in Iraq. It is also a part of the pilgrimage visits done by many Shia Muslims in the whole world.

9. Assur

Assur or as UNESCO inscribed it, Ashur (Qal’at Sherqat), is a World Heritage Site as of 2003 with level iii and iv criteria. It is a 70-hectare archaeological ruins which used to be an ancient Assyrian city 3,000 years ago. There were evidences retrieved from the site that Assur was the center of trade back then until the Babylonians devastated the whole area. It was restored and reused by the Parthian rules in the 1st and 2nd century.

10. Imam Ali Mosque

Imam Ali Mosque, Masjid Ali or Imam Ali Holy Shrine is a Shia-affiliated mosque located in Najaf. This is considered a sacred place for those who believe in Islam as many of their pilgrims visit the mosque for prayers. There is a shrine within the mosque as a tribute to Ali ibn Abi Talib, the son in law of Prophet Muhammad. It was created by ‘Adud al-Dawla in 977 AD and over the years, restored and renovated by Kings of Iran like Seljuk Malik Shah I and Safavid Shah Ismail I, after him.

11. Erbil Citadel

The Erbil Citadel in Kurdistan is a partially ruined site which is still being utilized to this day. It is like a fort and is believed to have been erected some 8,000 years ago. UNESCO recognized it as a World Heritage Site last 2014 with a level iv criteria. Not many people live in the area today since most everyone has fled to better residential sites and it is in the process of being restored. You can tour the citadel though and there is a display there called the Kurdish Textile Museum – it is one of the best places to visit in Iraq.

12. Hanging Gardens of Babylon

If this still existed today and was well-preserved, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon would have been one of the greatest structures in the history of the world. But sadly, all that’s left of it is the ruins – an earthquake destroyed this once beautiful structure. UNESCO is still verifying facts about Babylon through the submission of the Ministry of Culture and today, it is in the tentative list. There is a site in Iraq to which many believe is where the hanging gardens used to be located.

13. The Site of Thilkifl

Like the Wadi Cemetery, the Site of Thilkifl is in the tentative list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. Thilkifl or Prophet Isikel, for the Muslims, is also a Jewish prophet and the whole area is composed of Prophet Isikel’s Shrine, a mosque, minaret, markets from the Ottoman periods and Khans. Khans are lodging homes and within the site, the have the Khan Assayf (East part), the Khan Quraysh (North part which also has a courtyard), the Khan Attamr (West part) and the Khan Addibs (South part).

14. Wadi Al-Salam Cemetery in Najaf

The Permanent Delegation of Iraq to UNESCO submitted the Wadi Al-Salam Cemetery in Najaf as a potential World Heritage Site. As of today, it is in the tentative list and awaiting review. The delegation wanted it recognized as such for the very reason of its universal value and historic significance. This is the cemetery of millions of Muslims – the prophets of Allah have been buried here like Ali ibn Abi Talib, the husband of Fatimah Zahra, the dearest daughter of Prophet Muhammad. Prophets Salh and Hod rests here as well. This is one of the best places to visit in Iraq.

15. The Ahwar of Southern Iraq

The Ahwar of Southern Iraq is a World Heritage Site which is composed of many areas – UNESCO calls it Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities. The whole Ahwar is composed of three archaeological ruins and four wetlands. The ruins are called the Ur (which will be detailed later on as it is one of the most popular attractions in Iraq), the Uruk and the Tell Eridu. These sites were built more than 2016 years ago.