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Iraq Journey
العربية
The Temple of Maren at Hatra in low golden sun, its Corinthian colonnade and central arch rising above a foreground of spring wildflowers under a deep blue sky.
World Heritage series

Iraq's Eternal Heritage Sites

Journey through the six UNESCO-recognised jewels of Mesopotamia, where the dawn of human history is etched into every stone and silhouette.

Inscribed by UNESCO

The Six Pillars of Civilisation

Each site represents a unique epoch in the human narrative, from the first cities of Sumer to the Abbasid architectural wonders.

A visitor sitting on the brick steps at Babylon, the reconstructed walls and crenellated towers of the city rising behind him.
Inscribed 2019

Babylon

The capital of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and seat of Hammurabi's code.

Babylon
The temple facade at Hatra seen straight on, its pedimented Greco-Roman colonnade and arched centre standing intact against a pale desert sky.
Inscribed 1985

Hatra

A fortified Parthian trading city where Greco-Roman and Eastern architecture meet.

Hatra
A visitor reaching out to a water buffalo at the edge of the Ahwar at golden hour, the rest of the herd standing in the shallows behind it.
Inscribed 2016

The Ahwar of Southern Iraq

Refuge of biodiversity and the relict landscape of the Mesopotamian cities.

The Ahwar of Southern Iraq
The Citadel of Erbil from below, an unbroken run of brick facades and an arched gate along the crown of the tell above its bare slope.
Inscribed 2014

Erbil Citadel

Eight thousand years of unbroken settlement, stacked into one mound above the city.

Erbil Citadel
Inscribed 2003

Ashur

The first Assyrian capital, and the city the empire took its name from. On the danger list ever since.

Ashur
Six millennia

Timeline of Sovereignty

  1. 4000 BCE

    Sumerian Era

    Birth of writing and the first city-states like Ur.

  2. 1800 BCE

    First Babylonian Empire

    Hammurabi codifies the first written laws of humankind.

  3. 700 BCE

    Assyrian Zenith

    Nineveh becomes the largest city on earth and a seat of scholarship.

  4. 800 CE

    Abbasid Caliphate

    The Golden Age of science and Samarra's expansion.

An archaeologist at an excavation site holding an inscribed clay tablet in both hands, its cuneiform wedges still sharp in the dried clay.
85%

Of historical sites in Babylon are under active monitoring and preservation programmes.

Conservation efforts

Preserving the Echoes of Antiquity

In partnership with UNESCO and global archaeological institutes, Iraq is leading a transformative preservation initiative. Our goal is not just to maintain stones, but to restore the cultural soul of the region through advanced laser scanning and community-led restoration.

  • 3D Digital Archiving

    Creating millimetre-accurate digital twins of vulnerable ruins.

  • Eco-Tourism Integration

    Sustainable visitor pathways that minimise environmental impact.

Heritage trails

Plan Your Pilgrimage

Explore the cradle of civilization with curated heritage trails designed for the modern explorer. Experience history where it happened.

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