{"id":13641,"date":"2025-11-23T00:15:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T23:15:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/?p=13641"},"modified":"2026-01-03T18:44:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T17:44:14","slug":"baghdad-babylon-and-nearby-sights-what-to-see-on-a-trip-to-iraq","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/asia\/baghdad-babylon-and-nearby-sights-what-to-see-on-a-trip-to-iraq\/","title":{"rendered":"Baghdad, Babylon and Nearby Sights: What to See on a Trip to Iraq"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"13641\" class=\"elementor elementor-13641 elementor-13555\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7b321b9 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7b321b9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f9c5cfa elementor-toc--minimized-on-desktop elementor-widget elementor-widget-table-of-contents\" data-id=\"f9c5cfa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;exclude_headings_by_selector&quot;:[],&quot;no_headings_message&quot;:&quot;No headings were found on this page.&quot;,&quot;minimized_on&quot;:&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;headings_by_tags&quot;:[&quot;h2&quot;,&quot;h3&quot;,&quot;h4&quot;,&quot;h5&quot;,&quot;h6&quot;],&quot;marker_view&quot;:&quot;numbers&quot;,&quot;minimize_box&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;hierarchical_view&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;min_height&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"table-of-contents.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__header-title\">\n\t\t\t\tTable of contents\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--expand\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__f9c5cfa\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Open table of contents\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-chevron-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M207.029 381.476L12.686 187.132c-9.373-9.373-9.373-24.569 0-33.941l22.667-22.667c9.357-9.357 24.522-9.375 33.901-.04L224 284.505l154.745-154.021c9.379-9.335 24.544-9.317 33.901.04l22.667 22.667c9.373 9.373 9.373 24.569 0 33.941L240.971 381.476c-9.373 9.372-24.569 9.372-33.942 0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--collapse\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__f9c5cfa\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Close table of contents\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-chevron-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M240.971 130.524l194.343 194.343c9.373 9.373 9.373 24.569 0 33.941l-22.667 22.667c-9.357 9.357-24.522 9.375-33.901.04L224 227.495 69.255 381.516c-9.379 9.335-24.544 9.317-33.901-.04l-22.667-22.667c-9.373-9.373-9.373-24.569 0-33.941L207.03 130.525c9.372-9.373 24.568-9.373 33.941-.001z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-toc__f9c5cfa\" class=\"elementor-toc__body\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__spinner-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"elementor-toc__spinner eicon-animation-spin e-font-icon-svg e-eicon-loading\" aria-hidden=\"true\" viewBox=\"0 0 1000 1000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M500 975V858C696 858 858 696 858 500S696 142 500 142 142 304 142 500H25C25 237 238 25 500 25S975 237 975 500 763 975 500 975Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4d98e7e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4d98e7e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Hello! \ud83e\udd1f<\/h2><p class=\"p1\">If you\u2019ve ended up here, you\u2019re probably one of those slightly crazy people who, instead of booking yet another Barcelona trip, start googling: \u201cis there even anything to see in Iraq?\u201d. We did exactly the same. <a href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/blog\/desert-horizons-from-poland-to-oman\/\">As part of our motorcycle journey from \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf1 Poland to \ud83c\uddf4\ud83c\uddf2 Oman<\/a> we rode through a slice of Federal Iraq \u2013 mainly <a href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/asia\/iraq-baghdad-how-it-really-was\/\">around Baghdad<\/a> \u2013 and this post is all about the places we saw there.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">We\u2019ll show you the places we actually saw with our own eyes, plus a few that are still on our \u201cnext time\u201d list because, for different reasons (logistics, no local guide, tourist restrictions), we just couldn\u2019t get there. For each spot we\u2019ll add a short \u201cwhat to expect, what to watch out for, when it\u2019s better to skip it\u201d \u2013 because Iraq is not the kind of country where you just wander wherever you want and then get annoyed that something\u2019s closed. <\/p><p class=\"p1\">We\u2019re writing this in November 2025, based on what we actually saw in September the same year. Things in this region can change fast, so if you\u2019re reading this later and something already looks different, let us know \u2013 we\u2019ll update what we can. Travelling through places like this is a bit of a team sport: people pass on fresh info to each other, and thanks to that it gets a little easier for everyone coming next.  <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-068e2a8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"068e2a8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Tourism in Iraq<\/h2><p class=\"p1\">To give you a bit of context: Iraq as a travel destination is only just waking up. <a href=\"https:\/\/shafaq.com\/en\/society\/Iraq-ranks-105th-globally-in-tourism-arrivals\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">According to the latest data<\/a>, around 892,000 foreign tourists visited the country in 2024 \u2013 that\u2019s roughly 0.1% of all international trips worldwide and puts Iraq around 105th place in global rankings.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">At the same time, religious pilgrimage is a completely different story \u2013 visits to holy cities like Najaf, Karbala, Kadhimiya and others add up to over 30 million entries a year, with around 6 million of those pilgrims coming from abroad.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Most of that movement comes from the region: pilgrims from Iran, Lebanon, Pakistan and the Gulf. Western travellers are still extremely rare. <a href=\"https:\/\/channel8.com\/english\/news\/10854\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">One report estimated<\/a> that in 2024 there were only a few hundred tourists from Europe and the Americas combined. <\/p><p class=\"p1\">In the Kurdistan Region, though, the numbers are climbing fast \u2013 the whole region had around 7 million visitors in 2023, and the Erbil province alone can attract up to 2 million people in just half a year. <\/p><p class=\"p1\">So no \u2013 Iraq is (not yet) a second Jordan or T\u00fcrkiye. And that\u2019s exactly why this post exists. If we managed to ride here on a motorbike, you can at least sit back and read what there is to see in and around Baghdad \u2013 and where it\u2019s actually worth planning your time, instead of just wandering around the map with no idea where to go.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">If you want more of the on-the-ground vibe, 1\ufe0f\u20e3 <a href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/asia\/iraq-baghdad-how-it-really-was\/\">we\u2019ve got a separate post about our stay in Baghdad<\/a>, and 2\ufe0f\u20e3 <a href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/asia\/erbil-two-day-guide-of-iraqi-kurdistan\/\">another one about our earlier days in Erbil, in the Kurdistan Region<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2141fff elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2141fff\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Al-Zawraa Park<\/h2><p>ar. <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Al-Zawraa_Park\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span dir=\"rtl\">\u0645\u062a\u0646\u0632\u0647 \u0627\u0644\u0632\u0648\u0631\u0627\u0621<\/span><\/a> \/ \ud83d\udccc Pin on Google Maps \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/sSaChcwxS85SWnKB6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">click here<\/a>.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">We got to Al-Zawraa Park by Careem from our hotel. At the entrance, nobody asked us for money, so to this day we\u2019re not sure if it was some kind of \u201cfree entry day\u201d or if they just waved two European tourists through \ud83d\ude0a. Normally you should probably expect a small entrance fee of a few hundred dinars per person \u2013 more like \u201cfifty cents\u201d than a full-on European theme park ticket.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">The park itself is a big green breather in the middle of Baghdad. It used to be a military camp, and only in the 1970s the area was turned into a park of about 3 km\u00b2, with walking paths, lawns, a lake, a viewing tower and a classic Iraqi-style funfair.   <\/p><p class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tripadvisor.com\/Attraction_Review-g294001-d4997741-Reviews-or10-Zawraa_Park-Baghdad_Baghdad_Province.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">This is not Energylandia level: <\/a>the rides and rollercoaster feel more \u201cretro\u201d than \u201cwow, what a high-tech miracle\u201d. For local families though, it\u2019s still an important spot \u2013 people come here for picnics, walks, to put kids on the rides or just sit by the lake. On weekends the park is supposedly absolutely packed, especially during the flower festival that takes place here in spring.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">There\u2019s also a <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Baghdad_Zoo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">zoo inside the park<\/a> \u2013 one of the oldest in the region. It was hit hard in 2003, when many animals died or escaped during the invasion and the whole place was trashed. Later it was rebuilt and today it\u2019s open again, but newer reviews often mention that some animals look underfed and that conditions in a few enclosures are still far from anything you\u2019d call \u201cEuropean standards\u201d.  <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-307973f elementor-widget elementor-widget-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry\" data-id=\"307973f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-shortcode qodef-m qodef-qi-image-gallery-masonry qodef-qi-fslightbox-popup qodef-popup-gallery qodef-image--hover-zoom qodef-qi-grid qodef-layout--qi-masonry qodef-items--fixed qodef-col-num--3 qodef-responsive--predefined\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-grid-inner\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-qi-grid-masonry-sizer\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--landscape\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-zawraa-park-001-scaled.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-6\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1300\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-zawraa-park-001-1300x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape\" alt=\"Lakeside view of Iraq\u2019s Baghdad Al-Zawraa Park with white pedal boats lined along the water\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--square\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-zawraa-park-002.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-6\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-zawraa-park-002-650x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square\" alt=\"Baghdad Al-Zawraa Park in Iraq, a lit outdoor barbecue cart with chairs, trees, and playground in the background\" srcset=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-zawraa-park-002-650x650.jpeg 650w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-zawraa-park-002-148x148.jpeg 148w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-zawraa-park-002-296x296.jpeg 296w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-zawraa-park-002-1300x1300.jpeg 1300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--square\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/desert-horizons-2025-road-031-scaled.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-6\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/desert-horizons-2025-road-031-650x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square\" alt=\"Desert Horizons Motorcycle Expedition flag over Baghdad, Iraq, against a clear blue sky\" srcset=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/desert-horizons-2025-road-031-650x650.jpeg 650w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/desert-horizons-2025-road-031-148x148.jpeg 148w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/desert-horizons-2025-road-031-296x296.jpeg 296w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/desert-horizons-2025-road-031-1300x1300.jpeg 1300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--landscape\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-zawraa-park-003-scaled.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-6\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1300\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-zawraa-park-003-1300x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape\" alt=\"Couple posing in Baghdad Al-Zawraa Park, Iraq, wearing sunglasses and hats along a palm-lined path\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e9b6614 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e9b6614\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Saving Iraqi Culture Monument<\/h2><p>ar. <span dir=\"rtl\">\u0646\u0635\u0628 \u0627\u0646\u0642\u0627\u0630 \u0627\u0644\u062b\u0642\u0627\u0641\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0631\u0627\u0642\u064a\u0629<\/span> \/ \ud83d\udccc Pin on Google Maps \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/KPZj2UcGPraFipcy5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">click here<\/a>.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Just a few minutes\u2019 walk from Al-Zawraa Park there\u2019s something you really can\u2019t ignore: a tall stone cylinder, split open in the middle and held together by hands reaching up from the base.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">The monument was designed by famous Baghdad sculptor Mohammed Ghani Hikmat. It was created around 2010 and unveiled a few years later in the Mansour district, on the Karkh side of the city, near Al-Zawraa Park and the fairgrounds. <\/p><p class=\"p1\">For Baghdad this monument is almost like a visual shortcut: on one hand it shows how badly wars, looting and decades of chaos have smashed Iraq\u2019s cultural heritage (museums, libraries, historic sites), and on the other it suggests that someone is still trying to hold it all together. It\u2019s no coincidence that it stands by a busy roundabout and a big park rather than hidden inside a museum \u2013 it\u2019s meant to be part of everyday city life, something you pass on your way to work or out for a walk. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-beba9be elementor-widget elementor-widget-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry\" data-id=\"beba9be\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-shortcode qodef-m qodef-qi-image-gallery-masonry qodef-qi-fslightbox-popup qodef-popup-gallery qodef-image--hover-zoom qodef-qi-grid qodef-layout--qi-masonry qodef-items--fixed qodef-col-num--2 qodef-responsive--predefined\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-grid-inner\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-qi-grid-masonry-sizer\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--square\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-culture-monument.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-7\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-culture-monument-650x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square\" alt=\"Woman posing at Baghdad Saving Iraqi Culture Monument in Baghdad, Iraq, beside a carved stone sculpture of a hand\" srcset=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-culture-monument-650x650.jpeg 650w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-culture-monument-148x148.jpeg 148w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-culture-monument-296x296.jpeg 296w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-culture-monument-1300x1300.jpeg 1300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--square\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-culture-monument-with-buildings.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-7\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-culture-monument-with-buildings-650x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square\" alt=\"Monument in Baghdad saving Iraqi culture with tall apartment towers under construction in Iraq\" srcset=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-culture-monument-with-buildings-650x650.jpeg 650w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-culture-monument-with-buildings-148x148.jpeg 148w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-culture-monument-with-buildings-296x296.jpeg 296w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-culture-monument-with-buildings-1300x1300.jpeg 1300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-800d6be elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"800d6be\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Victory Arch<\/h2><p>ar. <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Victory_Arch\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span dir=\"rtl\">\u0642\u0648\u0633 \u0627\u0644\u0635\u0631<\/span><\/a> \/ \ud83d\udccc Pin on Google Maps \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/vz7dnU4GVFevYTQZ8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">click here<\/a>.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">The Hands of Victory are probably the most cinematic shot of Baghdad \u2013 two gigantic hands holding swords that cross above the avenue. The monument was commissioned by Saddam Hussein after the Iran\u2013Iraq war and unveiled in 1989 as a symbol of Iraq\u2019s \u201cvictory\u201d in that conflict. The hands were cast from moulds of Saddam\u2019s own palms, and each sword is about 40 metres long. The arch itself marks the entrance to a huge ceremonial space \u2013 the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Grand_Festivities_Square\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Grand Festivities Square<\/a>.    <\/p><p class=\"p1\">The whole thing is located on the grounds of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Green_Zone\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">the so-called Green Zone <\/a>:it all sits inside the Green Zone, the heavily guarded government-and-embassy district in central Baghdad \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/asia\/iraq-baghdad-how-it-really-was\/\">the same area we wrote about in our main Baghdad article<\/a>, with lots of military presence, checkpoints and plenty of access restrictions. <\/p><p class=\"p1\">And here\u2019s the important part if you want to see it \u201clike a normal person\u201d: you can\u2019t just walk there from Al-Zawraa Park. The only realistic option is to go by car \u2013 for example, take a Careem from the nearest checkpoint. Right now the main road through the Green Zone is open to traffic, so you can simply drive under the arch, but the security guys are not too happy about people getting out and wandering around the area.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">We did the classic \u201cfirst-timer mistake\u201d: our driver dropped us literally right next to the arch, we quickly snapped one photo\u2026 and a moment later soldiers walked over to check what exactly we were up to. They weren\u2019t aggressive, it was more of a standard check, but the fact is, standing there with a camera under one of the most symbolically sensitive monuments in the Green Zone is not the smartest idea. Looking back, it\u2019s definitely better to take a photo from inside the car, if at all, and not get out unless you have a very clear \u201cok\u201d from security.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Right next to it stands the Monument to the Unknown Soldier \u2013 a massive, slightly futuristic structure from the 1980s, dedicated to fallen Iraqi soldiers. It was designed by Iraqi sculptor Khaled al-Rahal and Italian architect Marcello D\u2019Olivo; there\u2019s even an underground museum beneath the dome. For us, though, it was a hard no on getting inside. We stopped nearby, but the area was closed off and access tightly controlled, so we had to settle for admiring it from a distance.   <\/p><p class=\"p1\">The arch is part of the Grand Festivities Square mentioned above. It\u2019s a huge parade ground built in the 1980s on the edge of Al-Zawraa Park as the main stage for military parades and state ceremonies. After 2003 the area was pretty much dead for a long time, later partially closed off, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2011\/02\/06\/world\/middleeast\/06iraq.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">but in 2010\u20132011 the monuments were restored<\/a> and the space slowly started coming back to life.   <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Today the Grand Festivities Square is back to hosting big events \u2013 festivals, concerts, as well as demonstrations and political rallies.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d0dcfbe elementor-widget elementor-widget-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry\" data-id=\"d0dcfbe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-shortcode qodef-m qodef-qi-image-gallery-masonry qodef-qi-fslightbox-popup qodef-popup-gallery qodef-image--hover-zoom qodef-qi-grid qodef-layout--qi-masonry qodef-items--fixed qodef-col-num--1 qodef-responsive--predefined\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-grid-inner\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-qi-grid-masonry-sizer\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--landscape\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-victory-arch-scaled.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-8\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1300\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-victory-arch-1300x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape\" alt=\"Baud\u017ca\u0144ski \u0142uk zwyci\u0119stwa w Bagdadzie, with bronze fists holding a curved steel arch in Iraq\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d6a361e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d6a361e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Baghdad Tower<\/h2><p>ar. <span dir=\"rtl\">\u0628\u0631\u062c \u0628\u063a\u062f\u0627\u062f<\/span> \/ \ud83d\udccc Pin on Google Maps \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/JD9WosQT5YyYTjE86\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">click here<\/a>.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">A slim tower with a dish on top \u2013 a bit like a younger cousin of the CN Tower in Canada or the TV tower in Berlin. It was originally called the International Saddam Tower and was built in 1994, after the previous communications tower was destroyed during the Gulf War. It\u2019s about 204 metres tall and was designed with two purposes in mind: as a telecoms hub and as a \u201cpeople place\u201d, with a revolving restaurant and viewing deck at the top.   <\/p><p class=\"p1\">After 2003 the tower got a new life and a new name: Baghdad Tower. For years it was used by the US military, then it was renovated, but reopening it to the public has been a very stop-and-go story. Every now and then there\u2019d be announcements about the restaurant and viewing deck opening again, a big event with the lights switched on, official visits from politicians\u2026 and then silence. Even as late as 2020 local media and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.frbiu.com\/articles\/iraqs-derelict-baghdad-tower-is-a-metaphor-for-a-broken-country\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">foreign articles were still saying that<\/a>, despite all the plans, the tower was basically closed in everyday life \u2013 a bit of a metaphor for how hard it is to actually finish big projects in Iraq.   <\/p><p class=\"p1\">The tower sits on the edge of the Green Zone, in the Karkh district, in a heavily guarded area close to key government buildings and the intelligence complex (Harthiya Intelligence Center). Access around it is tightly controlled and the whole area is pretty heavily secured. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a5024ae elementor-widget elementor-widget-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry\" data-id=\"a5024ae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-shortcode qodef-m qodef-qi-image-gallery-masonry qodef-qi-fslightbox-popup qodef-popup-gallery qodef-image--hover-zoom qodef-qi-grid qodef-layout--qi-masonry qodef-items--fixed qodef-col-num--2 qodef-responsive--predefined\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-grid-inner\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-qi-grid-masonry-sizer\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--square\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-tower-scaled.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-tower-650x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square\" alt=\"Couple posing in front of Baghdad Tower in Iraq, wearing sunglasses and hats under a blue sky\" srcset=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-tower-650x650.jpeg 650w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-tower-148x148.jpeg 148w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-tower-296x296.jpeg 296w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-tower-1300x1300.jpeg 1300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--square\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-tower-002.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-tower-002-650x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square\" alt=\"Iraq, Baghdad Tower: tall cylindrical tower with observation deck against a bright blue sky\" srcset=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-tower-002-650x650.jpeg 650w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-tower-002-148x148.jpeg 148w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-tower-002-296x296.jpeg 296w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-tower-002-1300x1300.jpeg 1300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9efd260 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9efd260\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Al Rasheed Street<\/h2><p>\ud83d\udccc Pin on Google Maps \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/s6n5SCa4rRKDpK1L9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">click here<\/a>.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">We headed to Al Rasheed in the evening, also on recommendation \u2013 a few people messaged us on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/warsawtravelers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram<\/a> saying \u201cyou have to go, old Baghdad vibes and Zaza Caf\u00e9\u201d. We got out of the taxi, looked around and our first honest thought was: \u201cwtf, where are we?\u201d. Along the street you\u2019ve got these faded, half-ruined buildings that look like they\u2019ve been waiting for renovation for a few decades, plus weak street lighting, so the whole place gives off a slightly post-apocalyptic vibe.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Only after you walk a bit and get used to the dark does the bigger picture start to make sense. Al Rasheed isn\u2019t just any street \u2013 it\u2019s one of the oldest and most important arteries of Baghdad, laid out in the early 20th century under the Ottomans and later named after Caliph Harun al-Rashid. For decades it was the beating heart of the city: caf\u00e9s, cinemas, bookshops, mosques, meetings of artists and poets, intense political discussions \u2013 everything mixed together on one strip.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Then came wars, sanctions and crises, and the street started to fall apart \u2013 literally. Collapsed arcades, crumbling facades, shutters pulled down for good. Just a few years ago local media were calling Al Rasheed a \u201cshadow of its former self\u201d, and some of the historic buildings were genuinely at risk of collapsing.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">The good news is that from around 2024\u20132025 things finally started to move. A big revitalisation project kicked off on Al Rasheed \u2013 first on the stretch between al-Maidan Square and Ma\u2019ruf al-Rusafi Square. The plan is to restore the facades, tidy up the arcades and even run a tram line down the middle of the street. The first phase of work is close to being finished, and the Iraqi government is proudly saying they want Al Rasheed to become a showcase for the city again, not just a sad \u201cbefore and after\u201d photo spot.   <\/p><p class=\"p1\">On the street outside <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/zazagelato.iraq\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Zaza Caf\u00e9<\/a> we generally felt safe \u2013 every now and then a military patrol drove past or a police car was parked up, people were sitting in the caf\u00e9, someone walked by with shopping bags. The strange part was mostly how dark it gets between the buildings and how brutally you can see the contrast between the street\u2019s former glory and the way it looks now. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-37cfeb3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry\" data-id=\"37cfeb3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-shortcode qodef-m qodef-qi-image-gallery-masonry qodef-qi-fslightbox-popup qodef-popup-gallery qodef-image--hover-zoom qodef-qi-grid qodef-layout--qi-masonry qodef-items--fixed qodef-col-num--3 qodef-responsive--predefined\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-grid-inner\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-qi-grid-masonry-sizer\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--landscape\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-rasheed-st-004-scaled.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1300\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-rasheed-st-004-1300x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape\" alt=\"Iraq, Baghdad Al Rasheed Street at night with illuminated string lights over a street lined with cars and old buildings\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--portrait\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-rasheed-st-001.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"1300\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-rasheed-st-001-650x1300.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_portrait size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_portrait\" alt=\"Man drinking tea on Baghdad Al Rasheed Street in Iraq, outdoors beside greenery.\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--portrait\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-rasheed-st-003.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"1300\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-rasheed-st-003-650x1300.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_portrait size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_portrait\" alt=\"Yellow vintage espresso machine display on gravel with cups and jars in Baghdad Al Rasheed Street, Iraq\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--square\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-rasheed-st-005-scaled.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-rasheed-st-005-650x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square\" alt=\"Bronze statue and memorial monument in Baghdad Al Rasheed Street, Baghdad, Iraq at night\" srcset=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-rasheed-st-005-650x650.jpeg 650w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-rasheed-st-005-148x148.jpeg 148w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-rasheed-st-005-296x296.jpeg 296w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-rasheed-st-005-1300x1300.jpeg 1300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--landscape\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-rasheed-st-002.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1300\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-rasheed-st-002-1300x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape\" alt=\"Shop window on Baghdad Al Rasheed Street with a display of vintage items and wall posters\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d954da1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d954da1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Mutanabbi Street<\/h2><p>\ud83d\udccc Pin on Google Maps \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/BNq6XzxmfVpdnTLG7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">click here<\/a>.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">A few minutes\u2019 walk from Zaza Caf\u00e9 and you\u2019re in a completely different world. You step into Mutanabbi Street and suddenly \u2013 boom, the place is buzzing. Where Al Rasheed felt half-dark and a bit post-apocalyptic, here you\u2019ve got books, people, caf\u00e9s, kids running around, the smell of tea and cigarettes, conversations coming at you from every direction.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Mutanabbi is Baghdad\u2019s historic book hub \u2013 a street that\u2019s been the city\u2019s main \u201cbook market\u201d since Abbasid times. Today, less than a kilometre is packed with bookshops and stalls selling second-hand books, school textbooks, poetry, politics, everything you can think of. A lot of sources describe it as \u201cthe heart and soul of Baghdad\u2019s intellectual life\u201d \u2013 a place where, for decades, writers, poets, students, dissidents and pretty much the whole thinking part of the city have been meeting up.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Right next to it you step into another world: the bazaar. That part is a lot less romantic \u2013 tons of cheap Chinese stuff, plastic bits and everyday knick-knacks. For us it was more of a \u201cok, seen it\u201d, while the book-lined alleys were definitely the part that really stuck in our heads, not the piles of bargain toys.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">At the end of the street it\u2019s worth popping into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/explore\/locations\/142150806225719\/al-shahbandar-cafe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Shabandar Caf\u00e9<\/a> \u2013 one of the most iconic caf\u00e9s in Iraq. It\u2019s been running since 1917 and has always been a meeting place for writers, politicians and the whole \u201cintellectual\u201d crowd of Baghdad. In 2007 it was almost completely destroyed in a bombing on Mutanabbi Street \u2013 over 30 people were killed, including the owner\u2019s four sons and his grandson. Despite that tragedy Shabandar was rebuilt and today it still operates as a symbol of stubborn resilience and the fact that Baghdad\u2019s culture \u2013 though badly battered \u2013 is still standing.   <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ac79e63 elementor-widget elementor-widget-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry\" data-id=\"ac79e63\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-shortcode qodef-m qodef-qi-image-gallery-masonry qodef-qi-fslightbox-popup qodef-popup-gallery qodef-image--hover-zoom qodef-qi-grid qodef-layout--qi-masonry qodef-items--fixed qodef-col-num--3 qodef-responsive--predefined\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-grid-inner\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-qi-grid-masonry-sizer\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--portrait\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-tourist-attractions-002-scaled.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-11\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"1300\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-tourist-attractions-002-650x1300.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_portrait size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_portrait\" alt=\"Baghdad, Iraq tourist scene in a courtyard with stone walls, seats, and people near an information screen\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--landscape\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-tourist-attractions-004.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-11\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1300\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-tourist-attractions-004-1300x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape\" alt=\"Baghdad tourist attractions in the city bookstore display with manga, comic covers, and lights.\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--square\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-mutanabbi-st-004-scaled.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-11\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-mutanabbi-st-004-650x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square\" alt=\"People walking along Baghdad Mutanabbi Street at night, with shops, flags, and illuminated arches on both sides\" srcset=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-mutanabbi-st-004-650x650.jpeg 650w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-mutanabbi-st-004-148x148.jpeg 148w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-mutanabbi-st-004-296x296.jpeg 296w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-mutanabbi-st-004-1300x1300.jpeg 1300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--portrait\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-mutanabbi-st-003.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-11\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"1300\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-mutanabbi-st-003-650x1300.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_portrait size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_portrait\" alt=\"Bazaar corridor on Baghdad Mutanabbi Street in Iraq with a hanging Arabic sign and small shops lining both sides\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--landscape\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-mutanabbi-st-001-scaled.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-11\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1300\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-mutanabbi-st-001-1300x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape\" alt=\"Iraq, Baghdad Mutanabbi Street: artisan stall with illuminated cart selling bottles and sweets in front of an arched doorway\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-02e0fdb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"02e0fdb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"DUwDvf lfPIob\">Al-Kazimiyya Mosque<\/h2><p>ar. <span dir=\"rtl\">\u0645\u0633\u062c\u062f \u0627\u0644 \u064a\u0627\u0633\u064a\u0646<\/span> \/ \ud83d\udccc Pin on Google Maps \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/27kKUaxNdXo4X5kz5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">click here<\/a>.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">We didn\u2019t make it to Kadhimiyah ourselves, but if we had to point to one place in Baghdad that pops up most often in people\u2019s trip reports, it would be this mosque.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">It\u2019s the heart of Shia Baghdad: the Al-Kadhimiya Mosque complex (Al-Kadhimayn Shrine) with its huge golden domes and minarets, in the Kadhimiyya district north of the centre. Inside lie two very important Shia imams \u2013 Musa al-Kadhim (the 7th imam) and his grandson Muhammad al-Jawad (the 9th imam) \u2013 which makes this one of the holiest Shia sites in Iraq, and actually in the whole world. Every year the shrine draws millions of pilgrims from across the country and from abroad.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Architecturally it\u2019s full-on golden overload: two huge gilded domes, four tall minarets (also wrapped in gold), plus glittering tiles, mirrors, calligraphy and a massive courtyard that turns into a sea of people during religious holidays. Travellers often say the same thing in their reports: after walking through the bazaar and security gates you suddenly step into this bright, golden space that just makes you go \u201cwow\u201d. <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Security here is very tight: you pass through several layers of checks and metal detectors, walking past police and shrine staff. At a certain point you have to leave your phone and camera before entering the main sanctuary area \u2013 there are special lockers and deposit counters for that. Add to this the sheer scale of the crowds: on Fridays and during religious holidays it can get absolutely packed, so moving around feels more like being carried by a river of people than taking a calm stroll through a mosque.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">It\u2019s also worth keeping a few things in mind before you go: your outfit has to be as modest as possible \u2013 women need their hair covered and loose clothing, and men should wear long trousers and keep their shoulders covered.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-52ffacc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"52ffacc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"DUwDvf lfPIob\">Iraqi Martyr Monument<\/h2><p>ar. <span dir=\"rtl\">\u0646\u0635\u0628 \u0627\u0644\u0634\u0647\u064a\u062f \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0631\u0627\u0642\u064a<\/span> \/ \ud83d\udccc Pin on Google Maps \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/ptnzqQqyHWFupMDY6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">click here<\/a>.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">For us this spot played out in a very \u201cIraqi\u201d way: we rolled up, saw the massive turquoise dome, got all excited about the shot\u2026 and then heard there was no entry because \u201crenovation works are underway\u201d. From other travellers\u2019 reports we know this line gets used there a lot and doesn\u2019t always have much to do with any real renovation. Sometimes someone gets in with a local guide, sometimes a group \u201cknows someone inside\u201d, and other times everyone is simply turned back at the gate. We ended up in that last category.   <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Even from the outside it\u2019s seriously impressive. The Martyrs\u2019 Monument (Al-Shaheed Monument) is one of Baghdad\u2019s most recognisable landmarks. It was built in 1983 as an official memorial to soldiers killed in the Iran\u2013Iraq war, but over time people started to see it more broadly \u2013 as a tribute to all Iraqi \u201cmartyrs\u201d, no matter which conflict they died in. The monument was designed by sculptor Ismail Fatah al-Turk together with architect Saman Kamal.   <\/p><p class=\"p1\">In the middle of an artificial lake there\u2019s a circular platform, and on it a huge turquoise-tiled dome, about 40 metres high. The dome is split in half and slightly offset, so from one angle it looks whole, and from another like two open wings. In the gap between them there\u2019s a symbolic flame, and a flagpole with the Iraqi flag rises from the inside. The cut dome is meant to represent the moment of death, the arch opening upwards is the soul\u2019s path, and the water around it is a reminder of the blood spilled in war.   <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-588ea8d elementor-widget elementor-widget-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry\" data-id=\"588ea8d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-shortcode qodef-m qodef-qi-image-gallery-masonry qodef-qi-fslightbox-popup qodef-popup-gallery qodef-image--hover-zoom qodef-qi-grid qodef-layout--qi-masonry qodef-items--fixed qodef-col-num--2 qodef-responsive--predefined\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-grid-inner\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-qi-grid-masonry-sizer\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--square\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-shaheed-monument-001-scaled.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-shaheed-monument-001-650x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square\" alt=\"Iraq, Baghdad Al Shaheed Monument: blue twin dome memorial with flags lining the walkway in Baghdad.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-shaheed-monument-001-650x650.jpeg 650w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-shaheed-monument-001-148x148.jpeg 148w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-shaheed-monument-001-296x296.jpeg 296w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-shaheed-monument-001-1300x1300.jpeg 1300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--square\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-shaheed-monument-002.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-shaheed-monument-002-650x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square\" alt=\"Couple posing in front of Baghdad Al Shaheed Monument in Iraq with flags and clear blue sky behind them\" srcset=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-shaheed-monument-002-650x650.jpeg 650w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-shaheed-monument-002-148x148.jpeg 148w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-shaheed-monument-002-296x296.jpeg 296w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-baghdad-al-shaheed-monument-002-1300x1300.jpeg 1300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-30721c4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"30721c4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"DUwDvf lfPIob\">Taq Kisra<\/h2><p>ar. <span dir=\"rtl\">\u0637\u0627\u0642 \u0643\u0633\u0631\u0649(\u062a\u06cc\u0633\u0641\u0648\u0646)<\/span> \/ \ud83d\udccc Pin on Google Maps \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/R3DF8fCjS7Hni7HX7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">click here<\/a>.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">For us it was a textbook \u201calmost made it\u201d situation. Yet another place where we were told at the entrance that there were conservation works going on, so we couldn\u2019t even take a photo from behind the fence\u2026 The next day we see another traveller\u2019s picture in a Facebook group, taken right under the arch, and you just want to throw your hands in the air. In Iraq \u201crenovation\u201d is often a kind of magic password. Sometimes there really is work happening, and sometimes it\u2019s just an easy way to say \u201cno one gets in unless they\u2019re invited\u201d.    <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Taq Kisra is a surviving fragment of a palace from the time of the Sassanian Empire. The monument stands on the site of the former capital Ctesiphon, in Al-Mada\u2019in, about 30\u201340 kilometres south of Baghdad, near the town of Salman Pak. What you see today is a massive brick hall with one of the largest unsupported brick arches in the world: around 37 metres high and 25\u201326 metres wide. It was once the fa\u00e7ade of the audience hall, basically the throne \u201cstage\u201d for Persian rulers.   <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Over the last few decades, Taq Kisra has really had a rough ride. Partial collapses, flooding, unfinished repairs, years of neglect. A major restoration was completed in 2017, but in 2019 and 2020 more sections of the arch fell away, so the whole \u201chow do we save this?\u201d discussion came back in full force. Since then various institutions and foundations have launched rescue projects, but for a regular visitor the reality is simple: officially the site is often \u201cunder works\u201d and treated as closed.   <\/p><p class=\"p1\">On the practical side: navigation apps sometimes try to drag you in via random village roads and a side entrance, which isn\u2019t always the best idea. It\u2019s worth checking the map beforehand to see where the actual main entrance is and where the site boundary starts. If you\u2019re coming from the Al-Salam Bridge side, there\u2019s a checkpoint on the way \u2013 just calmly say you\u2019re heading to Taq Kisra and under normal circumstances it\u2019s all good.    <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cda1ab6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cda1ab6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"DUwDvf lfPIob\">The Ishtar Gate in Babylon<\/h2><p>ar. <span dir=\"rtl\">\u0628\u0648\u0627\u0628\u0629 \u0639\u0634\u062a\u0627\u0631<\/span> \/ \ud83d\udccc Pin on Google Maps \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/13capD6FsHDnHyLg7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">click here<\/a>.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">If you\u2019ve got your own vehicle or a rental car, getting to Babylon on your own is totally doable. We took Highway 1. The asphalt is more or less fine, but there are ruts and patched sections here and there, so 120 km\/h is a sensible max. Then you turn off onto the Hilla\u2013Kish road or, if Waze decides otherwise, earlier onto the quieter Road 8. We ended up with that second option.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">That\u2019s where things got interesting. Before entering Babylon Governorate there was a checkpoint where it suddenly got very \u201cwarm\u201d. We were asked into some supervisor\u2019s office, our passports disappeared behind a desk and we got the classic \u201csit, wait\u201d. The guy holding our documents started asking why we\u2019d come, whether we had accommodation, where we\u2019re from, where we work, if we\u2019re YouTubers. For a moment the vibe was pretty suspicious, but once we explained that we were sleeping in Baghdad, didn\u2019t have our stuff with us and just wanted to see Babylon, everything relaxed. In the end it turned out they were more interested in helping us sort things out than grilling us.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">It ended with a group photo, bottles of water for the road and a big \u201cwelcome in Iraq\u201d. I was drenched in sweat from the stress and 41\u00b0C, Jadzia claims she wasn\u2019t scared at all\u2026 sure she wasn\u2019t. XD<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Entry to the site is paid. For foreigners the current standard is around 25,000 IQD per person, which worked out to roughly 70 PLN for us at the time.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">By Iraqi standards that\u2019s quite a lot, especially since you don\u2019t get some huge museum on site, more a vibe of \u201chere are the walls, this is a reconstruction, this is where the palace was\u201d. Oh, and you can pay by card \u2013 shocking \ud83d\ude02. When we told the guy at the ticket booth that we were from Poland, he greeted us with a \u201cdzie\u0144 dobry\u201d. He said there were tons of Poles stationed there during the war and they taught him that \ud83d\ude06.<\/p><p class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theartnewspaper.com\/2005\/02\/01\/us-base-has-caused-shocking-damage-to-babylon\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">It didn&#8217;t come out of nowhere.<\/a> After 2003, the ruins and their immediate surroundings were used as \u201cCamp Babylon\u201d \u2013 first by US forces, then handed over to Polish command as part of the multinational division. That military presence sadly took a real toll on the archaeological site. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rferl.org\/a\/1056953.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Reports from the British Museum and UNESCO<\/a> openly talk about damaged walls, ground levelled for helipads and heavy vehicles, and other interventions that simply shouldn\u2019t have happened in a place like this.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ce104e4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry\" data-id=\"ce104e4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-shortcode qodef-m qodef-qi-image-gallery-masonry qodef-qi-fslightbox-popup qodef-popup-gallery qodef-image--hover-zoom qodef-qi-grid qodef-layout--qi-masonry qodef-items--fixed qodef-col-num--3 qodef-responsive--predefined\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-grid-inner\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-qi-grid-masonry-sizer\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--landscape\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-babylon-001-scaled.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-13\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1300\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-babylon-001-1300x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape\" alt=\"Blue Babylon gate in Iraq with arched entrance and rows of painted camel and bull figures\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--portrait\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-babylon-002.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-13\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"1300\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-babylon-002-650x1300.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_portrait size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_portrait\" alt=\"Iraq, Babylon: blue tiled archway mural featuring a lion and floral patterns\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--portrait\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-babylon-003.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-13\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"1300\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-babylon-003-650x1300.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_portrait size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_portrait\" alt=\"Traveler standing in a blue arched corridor decorated with cats, Iraq\u2019s Babylon\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--square\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-babylon-005-scaled.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-13\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-babylon-005-650x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_square\" alt=\"Plan of the City of Babylon sign with illustration at Babylon, Iraq\" srcset=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-babylon-005-650x650.jpeg 650w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-babylon-005-148x148.jpeg 148w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-babylon-005-296x296.jpeg 296w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-babylon-005-1300x1300.jpeg 1300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--landscape\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-babylon-004-scaled.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-13\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1300\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-babylon-004-1300x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape\" alt=\"Ancient brick fortress walls of Babylon, Iraq under a clear blue sky\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d77aa70 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d77aa70\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"p1\">And the <a href=\"https:\/\/madainproject.com\/ishtar_gate_(babylon)\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ishtar Gate<\/a> you see on site? It\u2019s not the \u201creal one\u201d from the museums in Berlin, but a near full-scale reconstruction built in the 20th century by the Iraqi authorities, based on excavations and the original fragments. <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Most of the original ancient bricks with glazed bulls and dragons are now in the Pergamon Museum, while here you get a \u201cnew\u201d gate built from blue tiles with recreated reliefs. Even so, when you stand in front of it, it still feels properly impressive. <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Today, the entire Babylon complex is a mix of:<\/p><ul><li class=\"p1\">the authentic ruins of the former capital of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, which were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019.<\/li><li class=\"p1\">reconstructions from Saddam Hussein\u2019s era, when a lot of the walls and palaces were \u201cboosted\u201d and rebuilt to look more monumental,<\/li><li class=\"p1\">and traces of the coalition forces\u2019 presence.<\/li><\/ul><p class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theartnewspaper.com\/2025\/09\/12\/how-the-restoration-of-ancient-babylon-is-helping-to-draw-tourists-back-to-iraq\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Beyond the Ishtar Gate you can walk along the walls<\/a>, through the reconstructed Processional Way and past the foundations of the old palaces. On some walls you can still spot anti-American slogans left by Iraqis after 2003. There isn\u2019t a dramatic amount of info on site about what\u2019s what, so it\u2019s worth reading up beforehand or finding a decent guide instead of just wandering around aimlessly.  <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8b14943 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8b14943\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"DUwDvf lfPIob\">Saddam Hussein&#8217;s Iraqi Palace in Babylon<\/h2><p>ar. <span dir=\"rtl\">\u0642\u0635\u0631 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0631\u0627\u0642 \u0641\u064a \u0645\u0646\u062a\u062c\u0639 \u0628\u0627\u0628\u0644<\/span> \/ \ud83d\udccc Pin on Google Maps \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/XYYAxjx2pzNjdQHq7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">click here<\/a>.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Unfortunately, it\u2019s another one of those \u201cno contacts, no entry\u201d spots. We really wanted to get inside \u2013 after so many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=mXzSvciaUEU\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">YouTube videos<\/a> it was begging to be seen with our own eyes. On the ground we got the classic line that the palace was closed for cleaning and conservation works. Classic.   <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Just to be clear \u2013 it\u2019s not like we came here to \u201cadmire Saddam\u201d. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iina.news\/sadam-husseins-former-palace-in-babylon-21-years-on\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">This is a big, very recent chunk of Iraq\u2019s history<\/a>, with all the damage and decisions that also affected Babylon itself. The palace stands on an artificially built hill, often called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.atlasobscura.com\/articles\/babylon-iraq-saddam-hussein\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">\u201cSaddam Hill\u201d<\/a>. In the 1980s the village of Qawarish was literally flattened so the dictator could have a residence with a view over the ruins of the ancient city and the Euphrates. The building itself is a bit like a \u201cmodern ziggurat\u201d: a massive block with terraces, monumental staircases and interiors full of marble and high ceilings.    <\/p><p class=\"p1\">After 2003 the palace was taken over by coalition forces. It served as a base for the Americans, and in various reports there are mentions of Polish troops being stationed there too \u2013 which is why you can still find traces of the military inside: graffiti, writings on the walls, improvised installations. As of the last few years the structure itself is still standing, but you can clearly see damage and decay, peeling walls, broken details. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.csmc.uni-hamburg.de\/publications\/mesopotamia\/2017-02-26.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">There have been ideas to turn it into a museum<\/a> or part of a larger Babylon archaeological centre, but so far it feels more like \u201cplans on paper\u201d than a place that\u2019s actually open to regular visitors.  <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a10f3bb elementor-widget elementor-widget-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry\" data-id=\"a10f3bb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"qi_addons_for_elementor_image_gallery_masonry.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-shortcode qodef-m qodef-qi-image-gallery-masonry qodef-qi-fslightbox-popup qodef-popup-gallery qodef-image--hover-zoom qodef-qi-grid qodef-layout--qi-masonry qodef-items--fixed qodef-col-num--1 qodef-responsive--predefined\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-grid-inner\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-qi-grid-masonry-sizer\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"qodef-e qodef-image-wrapper qodef-grid-item qodef-item--landscape\">\n\t<div class=\"qodef-e-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"qodef-popup-item\" itemprop=\"image\" href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-babylon-saddam-palace-scaled.jpeg\" data-type=\"image\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery-14\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1300\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/iraq-babylon-saddam-palace-1300x650.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape size-qi_addons_for_elementor_image_size_landscape\" alt=\"Iraq, Babylon Saddam Hussain Palace exterior with arched facade and gardens under a clear blue sky\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-526d4cc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"526d4cc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Summary<\/h2><p class=\"p1\">Travelling around this country is definitely a challenge \u2013 a lot of places are off-limits even for a simple photo, which says a lot about how strongly the authorities still fear for security. On the one hand they really don\u2019t want any incidents, on the other there\u2019s still very little understanding of what tourism is and how natural visitors\u2019 curiosity can be. A good example is that when you enter Iraq overland from Jordan as a foreigner, you may be given a police or military escort \u201cfor your own safety\u201d.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">We\u2019re not talking mass tourism here, but trying to get to know the history of a country that has been hit by conflict and war almost non-stop for decades.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Sadly, there\u2019s no coherent strategy focused on rebuilding and opening up these sites. Internal political divisions \u2013 the push and pull between Shias, Sunnis and Kurds \u2013 create chaos and make any kind of \u201clet\u2019s do this together for the country\u201d really hard. The ministry responsible for culture and tourism has often been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chathamhouse.org\/2022\/03\/cultural-heritage-predation-iraq\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">treated more like a political trophy to hand out between factions<\/a> than an institution meant to protect heritage, which left it weak and underfunded. The result is that a lot of cultural treasures are slowly falling apart: there isn\u2019t enough money to secure or restore archaeological sites, many museums stay closed, and historic buildings just keep decaying without proper care.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Anyone who comes here needs to know where they\u2019re heading and accept things as they are. Even so, it\u2019s really worth getting to know people on the ground \u2013 they\u2019re honest, incredibly welcoming, and even a simple chat (with a phone translator in r\u0119ka, if needed) can break a lot of ice and teach you more than jakikolwiek przewodnik. A trip like this really makes you think about life: you can clearly see how the lack of joint action for the country hits not only tourism, but everyday life of ordinary Iraqis.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">We left with one big thought in our heads: with a history this rich and people this amazing, Iraq could gain so much if, one day, someone finally managed to build something wsp\u00f3lnie ponad podzia\u0142ami and really take care of its future.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Planning a trip to Iraq\u2019s Baghdad and nearby sights? See what\u2019s worth visiting, what daily life looks like there and what you can realistically expect.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13531,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"csco_display_header_overlay":false,"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[104],"tags":[668,168],"class_list":{"0":"post-13641","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-asia","8":"tag-iraq","9":"tag-tourist-attractions","10":"cs-entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13641","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13641"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13641\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13641"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13641"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13641"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}