18 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Iraq - Atlas Obscura

Unusual
Attractions
in Iraq

Babylon

Celebrated as a center of civilization, the remains of the ancient city have been nearly destroyed by greed, egoism, and war.

Allison

Added by Allison

Great Mosque of Samarra

9th century Abbasid mosque, damaged in modern warfare.

atimian

Added by atimian

Al-Shikhan, Iraq

Lalish Temple

The sacred shrine of the Yazidis.

Max Cortesi

Added by Max Cortesi

Erbil Citadel

An ancient fortified mound raised over the millennia from settlements built one on top of the other.

Max Cortesi

Added by Max Cortesi

Bahdinan Gate

This beautiful arched gate is all that remains of the fortress the ancient mountaintop town of Amadiya once was.

Max Cortesi

Added by Max Cortesi

The Tree of Knowledge

A shrine on the shores of the Tigris.

Added by brookwl

Saddam Hussein's Blood Quran

A 605-page Quran penned in the blood of a dictator is locked away in a mosque.

Molly McBride Jacobson

Added by Molly McBride Jacobson

Qyzqapan Tomb

Ancient rock-cut tomb? Definitely. That of a great Median king? Unlikely.

Exiled Archaeologist

Added by Exiled Archaeologist

See All 18 Things to Do in Iraq See All 18 Places

Unique
Food & Drink
in Iraq

Khirret

Gastro Obscura

Khirret

This pollen-based candy comes from the marshes of southern Iraq.

Gastro Obscura

Rohini Chaki

Added by Rohini Chaki

Are we missing a unique food or drink in Iraq?

Explore Iraq

Launch Map

Iraq Leaderboard

Places Added

Places Edited

Places Visited

Recent Iraq Activity

chappsnet wants to go to Qyzqapan Tomb

chartheexplorer wants to go to Dair Mar Elia

chartheexplorer wants to go to Victory Over America Palace

chartheexplorer wants to go to Al-Shaheed Monument

chartheexplorer wants to go to Amna Suraka Prison

Stories
About Iraq

The ruins of the ancient city of Ur, in present-day Iraq.

How to Get Your Laundry Done in Ancient Mesopotamia

A humorous dialogue between a cleaner and customer, useful to both ancient scribes and modern scholars.

by Noor Al-Samarrai

February 06, 2019

Vintage photo of the Tigris River, flowing through Iraq. The cradle of civilization and of <em>shaku maku</em>.

The Iraqi Version of 'What's Up?' Is an Existential Riddle

The phrase "shaku maku" offers a question, a playful paradox, and an invitation to share.