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.

Al-Shikhan, Iraq

Lalish Temple

The sacred shrine of the Yazidis.

Great Mosque of Samarra

9th century Abbasid mosque, damaged in modern warfare.

Erbil Citadel

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

Bahdinan Gate

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

The Tree of Knowledge

A shrine on the shores of the Tigris.

Saddam Hussein's Blood Quran

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

Al-Chibayish, Iraq

Mudhif Houses

Giant reed houses made in the marshes of Southern Iraq.

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Unique
Food & Drink
in Iraq

Khirret

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

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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 6, 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.