Kirkuk

city in Iraqi Kurdistan

Sulemania

Sulemania (Kurdish: سلێمانی) is a very young city. It was founded in 1784 by Ibrahim Pasha Baban, a Kurdish prince, to be the capital of his principality. Since then it has been Iraqi Kurdistan’s cultural capital and home to philosophers, poets and writers. Its importance is not limited to Iraq, but for the whole of the Kurdistan region, which also encompasses parts of Turkey, Syria and Iran.

Mosul

city in northern Iraq and capital of Nineveh Province

Baghdad

capital city of Iraq

Basra

capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq

Dahuk

Dahuk (also spelled Duhok or Dohuk; Kurdish: دهۆک‎, Dihok; Syriac: ܢܘܗܕܪܐ‎ Nūhadrā; Arabic: دهوك‎ Dahūk) is the capital of Duhok Governorate in Iraqi Kurdistan, it is a Kurdish city with a population of approximately 250,000 inhabitants, consisting mostly of Kurds and Assyrians. The city is encircled by mountains along the Tigris river.

Salman Pak

Ctesiphon is a ruin in Iraq's Baghdad Belts. It was once an ancient Persian capital city, but only a former palace, with the world's largest unreinforced arch, remains standing. The town of Salman Pak is nearby, and is also covered in this article.

Hatra

archaeological site

Babylon

archaeological site in Iraq

Erbil

Capital of Iraqi Kurdistan

Ar Rutba

city

Karbala

city in Iraq

Fallujah

(الفلّوجة) — a city with over 200 mosques now better known for the sieges and battles fought here.

Samarra

city in Iraq

Najaf

city in central-south Iraq

Nineveh

ancient Assyrian city, capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire

Kufa

city in Iraq, about 170 kilometres (110 mi) south of Baghdad, and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) northeast of Najaf.

Ishtar Gate

While the original gate was dismantled and reconstructed in the Pergamon Museum, Berlin, this replica is similar in looks but smaller then the original.

Kadhimiya

neighborhood

Al-Ukhaidir Fortress

A prime example of Abbasid architecture, built in 775 AD. The fortress has been a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage since 2000.

Basra Sports City

Mosul Museum

Used to contain many interesting finds from the ancient sites of the old Assyrian capital cities Nineveh and Nimrud. Most of the collection was spared destruction but as of 2018 it is unclear if the museum will reopen.

Great Mosque of al-Nuri (Mosul)

Tradition holds that Nur ad-Din Zangi, a Turkoman atabeg of the Great Seljuk Empire and sultan of its Syrian province, built the mosque in 1172–1173, shortly before his death. It was destroyed during the last days of the Battle of Mosul in 2017. Reconstruction is expected to happen over the coming years.

Monastery of Saint Elijah

abandoned Christian monastery in Iraq

Imam Husayn Shrine

One of the holiest sites in Shia Islam, it contatins the grave of Hussein ibn Ali, grandson of the prophet Muhammad.

Baghdadi Museum

History and folklore museum depicting life in Baghdad.

Kirkuk Citadel

Dating back to 858 BCE, this citadel stands on an artificial mound, 40 metres high, on a plateau across the Khasa River. Several hundred families still live in the citadel.

Baghdad Zoo

The largest zoo in the country, opened in 1971. It was destroyed in the 2003 war but has quickly recovered. There are, however, few larger mammals to see.

Ar-Rutba District

Cathedral of Saint Joseph, Ankawa

Constructed from 1978 to 1981 with labour from volunteers, the church was designed in a distinctive Babylonian style including a main gate modelled after the Ishtar Gate. It includes a large yard and expansive gardens.

Al-Shaheed Monument

Another monument dedicated to the Iraqi soldiers who died in the Iran-Iraq war. The monument consists of a circular platform 190 metres in diameter in the centre of an artificial lake. A museum, library, cafeteria, lecture hall, and exhibition gallery are on two levels underneath the domes.

Al-Kadhimiya Mosque

One of the most important Shi'ite religious sites in Iraq. It was finished in 1515 and the 7th Musa ibn Jafar al-Kathim and the 9th Imams Mohammed Al-Jawad were buried there.

Baba Gurgur

More than 4,000 years old.

The Monument to the Unknown Soldier

Inspired by the glorification of a martyr from the Iran–Iraq War. The monument represents a traditional shield (dira¹a) dropping from the dying grasp of an Iraqi warrior. The monument used to house a museum which is now mostly empty. Ask the Iraqi soldiers who guard the monument for permission.

Umm al-Qura Mosque

A mosque built to commemorate the "victory" in the 1991 Gulf War, the minarets are shaped like barrels of guns and SCUD missiles.

Al Abbas Mosque

The mausoleum of ‘Abbās ibn ‘Alī, located across from the Imām Husayn Mosque. ‘Abbās was the half-brother of Hasan and Husayn, and was the flag-bearer for Husayn in the Battle of Al-Taff. The majority of the design was done by Persian and Central Asian architects. The central pear shaped dome is an ornately decorated structure with two tall minarets on its sides. The tomb is covered with pure gold and surrounded by a trellis of silver, along with Iranian carpets rolled out on the floors.

Al-Faw Palace

Also known as the Water Palace for its site beside the Tigris River. Used as a military base for US troops

Victory Arch

A huge pair of triumphal arches celebrating the alleged victory over Iran. Also known as the Hands of Victory. It marks the entrances to a former parade ground.

Mudhafaria Minaret

The 36 m high Mudhafaria Minaret dates back to the late 12th century AD and the reign of Erbil king Muzaffar Al-Din Abu Sa’eed Al-Kawkaboori. It has an octagonal base decorated with two tiers of niches, which is separated from the main shaft by a small balcony, also decorated. Another historical minaret with turquoise glazed tiles is nearby.

Jalil Khayat Mosque

The largest mosque in Erbil, named after Jalil Khayat who took the initiative for construction, but passed away in 2005 before it could be completed. His sons finished the project in 2007. The mosque architecturally resembles the style of the Mosque of Muhammad Ali in Cairo, and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. It is widely regarded as having one of the most beautiful interiors. It relies on a combination of islamic architecture and al-Abbasi design, except for the domes which are of Ottoman design. Standing 48 m tall, the main dome with a diameter of 20 m dominates the mosque. It is surrounded by 4 half domes and 12 quarter domes. With an area of 15 000 m², the mosque has a capacity of 1 500 to 2 000 visitors.

Salman Al-Farsi Mosque

Mosque located in the village of Salman Pak, Iraq